President Mohammed Shahabuddin, file photo.

Dhaka, Broadcasting News Corporation: President Mohammed Shahabuddin has given the following message on the occasion of the great Independence and National Day :
“26th March-The Great Independence and National Day of Bangladesh. On this auspicious occasion, I extend my heartfelt greetings and warm felicitations to my fellow countrymen living at home and abroad.
On this day, I remember with profound respect the architect of our independent Bangladesh, the greatest Bangalee of all time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. On the fateful night of March 25, 1971, the invading forces of Pakistan unexpectedly attacked the unarmed Bangalees. In the early hours of March 26, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman officially declared the Independence of Bangladesh. We achieved an independent and sovereign Bangladesh through a nine-month long Liberation War under the able leadership of Bangabandhu. I recall with deep respect the millions of martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the War of Liberation. I recall with deep reverence our Four National Leaders, heroic freedom-fighters, organizers, supporters, foreign friends and people from all walks of life who made contributions to attain our right to self-determination and freedom movement.
Bangabandhu always cherished a dream of building a happy and prosperous country along with political freedom. The present government has been rendering untiring efforts in materializing the dream of Bangabandhu. Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh is moving towards the highway of development at an inexorable pace. We have achieved enormous success in various areas of socio-economic development including poverty alleviation, education, health, human resource development, women empowerment, lowering child and maternal mortality rates, elimination of gender discrimination and increase in life expectancy. Rate of poverty has been dropped whereas per capita income has increased. A huge number of landless and homeless people are being rehabilitated. The Padma Bridge, constructed by our own resources, the Karnafuli tunnel and the Metrorail are having positive impact on our economy. Works of Payra Deep Sea Port, Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport’s Third Terminal and Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant are also progressing uninterruptedly. Bangladesh has already been elevated from a least developed country to a developing country. With the continuation of this sustained development process, Bangladesh will turn into a developed, smart and prosperous country in the world by 2041, InshaAllah.
Government has been able to maintain the economic growth for timely and bold steps taken by Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina despite the world economy is facing negative impact due to worldwide war and geo-political crisis. The economy has turned around as a result of various socio-economic and investment projects, programs and initiatives taken by the government to ensure sustainable and inclusive development.
Huge amount of remittances sent by expatriates has made an important contribution to keep the wheel of the economy rolling during this time. To deal with this crisis, we also have to be frugal in the use of resources and follow austerity in luxury. I hope, based on the unprecedented achievements of the government in the country’s overall development activities and socio-economic indicators in the past years, we will be able to face these challenges in the days to come, InshaAllah.
The government has been consistent in upholding our foreign policy ‘Friendship to all, malice towards none’ as enunciated by the Father of the Nation. Our achievement in the international arena, including the establishment of world peace, is also commendable. Despite being a densely populated country, Bangladesh has set a unique example of humanity in the world by sheltering more than one million of Rohingyas who have been tortured and forcibly deported from Myanmar. People of Bangladesh are peace loving. Bangladesh has witnessed the devastation of war and became the victim of genocide. We want no more war in the world. We condemn the genocide going on in the world including Palestine. Bangladesh believes in a peaceful solution to this problem. I call upon the United Nations and the international community to take effective measures for solution to Rohingya problem and to stop war taking place around the world including Palestine.
We must ensure people-oriented and sustainable development, good governance, social justice, transparency and accountability; in order to achieve the desired goal of Independence. Forbearance, human rights and rule of law have to be consolidated for institutionalizing democracy. It is our sacred duty to ensure a safe, happy, beautiful and prosperous Bangladesh for the new generation. By assassinating Bangabandhu on 15 August 1975, anti-liberation forces tried to erase his policy, ideology as well as to stop the trend of development and progress of the country forever. But the Bengali is a nation of heroes. Nothing could suppress the Bangalees. Bangabandhu has become the conqueror of death. Death has not dissipated him but has made him brighter and more glorious in the minds of Bangalees. Present and future generation have to understand that the way they are treading forward today is paved by our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The path shown by him will be the step of development and progress in the future as well.
To expedite the progress of the country, let the nation embrace the spirit of the liberation war and the ideals of the Father of the Nation and move forward in building ‘Sonar Bangla (Golden Bengal)’ dreamt by Bangabandhu this is my expectation on the great Independence Day.
Joi Bangla.
Khoda Hafez, May Bangladesh Live Forever.”