You are the future leader of the country: HPM Sheikh Hasina to children

"You are the future leader of the country and you have to keep pace with the world. So you have to be attentive to your studies and to be prepared with modern science and technology-based education to take forward the nation," she said.

The Prime Minister was addressing a discussion on birthday of Sheikh Russell, youngest son of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

With the aim of making a better future, Sheikh Hasina said, every child has to give attention to technological and science studies. She also urged them to be prepared for making any sacrifice for the nation, saying "You have to be ready for sacrifice as all great achievements are attained through great sacrifice."

Sheikh Russell Jatiya Shishu Kishore Parishad organized the programme at city's Krishibid Institution marking the 52nd birthday of Sheikh Russell.

Founding president of the organization M Raqibur Rahman was in the chair while Chittagong University Vice-Chancellor Professor Iftekhar Uddin Chowdhury, advisor of the organization Sirajul Islam Mollah, MP, and secretary general Mahmud us Samad Chowdhury, MP, Dhaka chapter president of Sheikh Russell Jatiya Shishu Kishore Parishad KM Shahidullah, central organizing secretary Mujahidur Rahman, Dhaka chapter general secretary M Mojibur Rahman Hawlader and little child Nafiz Bin Nadim spoke on the occasion, among others.

The Prime Minister distributed prizes among the winners of different sports and cultural competitions arranged on the occasion and later enjoyed a cultural programme performed by members of the parishad.

Recalling the memories of Russell, youngest member of Bangabandhu's family, Sheikh Hasina said Russell was born in an adverse situation and finally he laid down his life with parents.

"A question always haunts me: 'what was the offense of the minor child for which the band of killers shot him dead so brutally'," she said noting that "we don't want to see any such brutality on the soil of Bangladesh."

She said Russell was killed with a heinous intention to erase all signs of Bangabandhu from the soil of Bangladesh. "Otherwise, why such a minor child would be killed so brutally?" she asked.

"The brutality can only be compared with Karbala. Even in Karbala children were not killed in this way. Whereas, the assailants spared no children and women in all three homes that came under their attack on August 15, 1975," she said.

Sheikh Hasina lamented that the killers of Russell were given impunity under the cover of law and they were rewarded with foreign postings unprecedentedly.

The Prime Minister said Bangladesh was liberated under the leadership of Bangabandhu, who suffered his whole life for the people of Bangladesh. She said there was time, when people of Bangladesh suffered in starvation whole day, many children had no ability to go to school, they had no good dress and many children would die of diseases.

The Father of the Nation visited all over the country and witnessed the public sufferings himself. His realization moved him for independence to free the nation from this situation, she said.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangabandhu gave us freedom which established Bangladesh as a victorious nation. But unfortunately, the nation lost the glory after the August massacre.

"The cruel murder of Bangabandhu stigmatized the nation," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said after coming to power in 1996, she tried to restore the image of Bengali people to a dignified position from that disgraceful situation.

"Although I'm bearing the pains and grief of heinous killings, I'm making constant stride to bring smile on the faces of millions of people and develop Bangladesh as a beautiful country to fulfill the dreams of Bangabandhu," she said.

At least, people of Bangladesh would not die of starvation as it was my father's dream, she said. Every child would have access to education and they would get a prosperous life and sustain in the competitive world, she hoped.

Expressing her government's firm commitment to stop brutality on children, Sheikh Hasina said her government has enacted law to protect the rights of children and stop abuses on them.

She called on the youths and juveniles to shun the path of militancy and drug addiction to make them as the ideal human beings.