HPM Sheikh Hasina urges BCL leaders to give utmost importance to learning

She said Bangabandhu founded the BCL with the motto - Shikkha, Shanti, Pragati (Learning, Peace and Progressiveness). BCL traversed a long way with this motto bringing most of the nation's achievements including Bangla as the state language and independence.

"So I hope that BCL leaders would give first priority to education and always remain devoted to upholding the glorious history of the organization to brighten the image of the nation," she said while addressing a reunion of Bangladesh Chhatra League marking its 69th founding anniversary at city's Suhrawardi Udyan on Tuesday afternoon.

The Prime Minister said the history of Bangladesh is similar to the history of Bangladesh Chhatra League which was born in 1948 to establish the rights of speaking in mother language. BCL played a pioneering role in the Language Movement and the organization has a pivotal role in every achievement of the nation, she said.

Former presidents and general secretaries and present leaders of the organizations welcomed their organizational leader Sheikh Hasina with big claps on her arrival at the venue. She inaugurated the reunion by releasing pigeon which was followed theme song of the reunion and Rabindra Sangeet "Purano Shei Diner Katha".

On behalf of the former BCL presidents and general secretaries, Commerce Minister and eminent student leader of Mass Upsurge in 1969 Tofael Ahmed, Minister for Road Transport and Bridges and General Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League Obaidul Kader spoke among others on the occasion.

President of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) Saifur Rahman Sohag presided over the meeting while General Secretary SM Zakir Hossain conducted the function.

Urging the BCL leaders to get them prepared for future leadership, Sheikh Hasina said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu used to ask the BCL first for implementing his all political programmes making the organization as pioneer of all movements for independence and war of liberation.

Bangabandhu wanted Bangalee nation to grow as a developed nation and live with their dignity, heritage and culture. He never thought of his personal gain or loss, Sheikh Hasina said urging the BCL leaders to nourish the ideology of Bangabandhu in their mind and thought.

Sheikh Hasina said education is the only basis for a person to go ahead in future personally or as the leader of the country. "We saw the situation in the past when uneducated leaders came to the throne," she said.

In this regard, the prime minister highlighted the programmes taken by her government for development of education saying even in economic hardship Bangabandhu had taken steps for nationalization of the primary education soon after independence aimed at building an educated nation.

But Bangladesh could not walk through the way envisaged by Bangabandhu, she said adding post 1975 rulers gave arms to the youths, ruined their character and showed them the path of destruction.

"We want our children to be educated. They will stand on their own feet and groom them as ideal citizens," she said adding public resistance should be built up to keep them free from militancy, terrorism and drug.

Advising every BCL leader and worker to read the 'Asamapta Athmajiboni" of Bangabandhu, the prime minister said the book is the main source for them to be imbued with the spirit of an ideology.

"An ideology can never vanish and a political worker fighting for an ideology can never die," she said pointing out the fight of Bangabandhu against the colonial rulers. The rulers also could not destroy BCL and Awami League for their ideological fight after 1975, she pointed out.

The prime minister urged the BCL leaders and workers to conduct survey in their respective areas to identify illiterate persons and take initiatives to give them education to make the country illiteracy free as soon as possible.

Reiterating her government's firm stand against militancy, terrorism and drug, the prime minister said there is no place of these menaces in Bangladesh. She said people of Bangladesh have faith in religion. But there is no room for militancy or terrorism in Islam, she said.

"Islam never calls for killing people... a person committing suicide can never go to haven, he/she will certainly go to hell," Sheikh Hasina said adding that the government would take action against the persons who misinterpret the religion.