Work to pay debt owe to Bangabandhu, martyrs: PM Sheikh Hasina urges civil servants

"We are those who work in domain of public services, should always remember that we are public servant. So it's our sacred duty to serve the people. Our salary, all facilities and comfort come from their hard labour. We should not forget it for a moment," she said.

The Prime Minister was addressing a blood donation programme organized by the Ministry of Public Administration on Wednesday at Bangladesh Secretariat marking the 41st martyrdom anniversary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and National Mourning day.

Extending her thanks to the civil servants for organizing the blood donation programme the Prime Minister said nothing could be great than the blood donation as it saves life of people. "As a nation we have a blood-bond with the Father of the Nation and millions of martyrs," she said.

"We have to repay their debt. Father of the Nation has sacrificed his life for the cause of the people. He repeatedly expressed this desire on many occasion including the historic March 7, 1971 speech. Bangabandhu has fulfilled his commitment through embracing martyrdom," Sheikh Hasina said.

Minister for Public Administration Syed Ashraful Islam, Health Minister Mohammad Nasim and Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury also spoke on the occasion.

State Minister for Public Administration Ismat Ara Sadique, state minister for health Zahid Malek and cabinet secretary Shafiul Alam were present among others on the occasion attended by cabinet members, PM's advisors, parliament members and officials of all level of Bangladesh Secretariat.

It's for the second consecutive year the Ministry of Public Administration has arranged the blood donation programme marking the National Mourning Day. A total of 422 officials and employees registered their names for the blood donation this year which was 97 last year, official sources said.

Paying her tributes to the martyrs of the August 15, 1975, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the Bangali nation achieved independence by dint of 23 years' constant struggle and sacrifice of Bangabandhu. He had to face intimidation repeatedly because of his voice in favour of the legitimate rights of the nation.

But, Bangabandhu was ready to make any sacrifice to establish the rights of the people and he never came back from his demands despite the then Pakistani rulers conspired to put him on gallows and kill him, she said.

Sheikh Hasina said the whole Bengali nation had forged unity under his leadership and earned independence for the nation through war of liberation, opening a new hope and aspiration for the people to survive in the world comity with dignity and honour.

In this regard the Prime Minister mentioned about a report published in Dawn newspaper of Pakistan on January 9, 1956 edition which depicted serious underrepresentation of Bengali people both in the civil and military administration during the Pakistani regime.

"At that time," she said, "Bengali people in fact had no right when Pakistani rulers administered and exploited them (Bengali people) from their hub of administration about 1200 kilometer away from here despite the Bengali people was about 56 percent of the country's total population. Independence has given us the opportunity to establish our representation at every stage of the nation's life."

Sheikh Hasina said Bangabandhu had founded the base of every infrastructure needed for an independent country. Ranging from the acquiring the membership of different international bodies, Bangabandhu earned the acknowledgement of different countries within his very short span of time.

Bangabandhu also initiated the trial of the war criminals after the independence and Indian allied force had left Bangladesh within three months of independence and it had been possible due to the strong leadership of Bangabandhu to pursue Indira Gandhi to withdraw the force, she added.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangabandhu had not only earned independence for this nation, but also chalked out elaborate programmes for economic emancipation of the people and was in the course of reconstructing the war ravaged Bangladesh. Bangladesh's economic progress shoot up to 7.5 percent only during the time Bangabandhu, she said.

At that time, the Prime Minister said, the anti liberation forces who had given indulgence to the massacre of the Pakistani rules in 1971 and the international forces which could not accept the Bangladesh's independence, came up with their blow on Bangabandhu.

Bangabandhu was not killed only for bringing change in Bangladesh state power, but for destroying the spirit and ideology of the War of Liberation. The killing was so brutal that no member of his family could stay alive; the prime minister said adding that she and her sister Sheikh Rehana could survive as they left the country only 15 days ago.

With a heavy heart Sheikh Hasina said she and her sister returned to the country to discharge the duties to complete the unfinished tasks of their parents to bring smile in the face of millions through materializing their dream to build a happy and prosperous Bangladesh.

The Prime Minister said it's the responsibility of the civil servants to implement any programme taken by the government. The government officials and employees would work sincerely for welfare of the people extending all support to implement the development programmes of the government, she hoped.