Build consensus for peace and prosperity

President Abdul Hamid yesterday urged concerted efforts to build a national consensus regarding the fundamental issues of continuity of democracy, the rule of law, and the country’s uninterrupted socioeconomic development.

“Peace and prosperity cannot take a permanent shape without national consensus,” he said while addressing the first session of the new year at the House, which is also the sixth session of the 11th parliament. 

According to the constitution, the president is scheduled to address before the first session of new year. 

His speech was earlier approved by the cabinet.  

Terming the Jatiya Sangsad the centre of the nation’s hopes and aspirations, the head of the state said the ruling party and the opposition should also play a constructive role side by side to successfully fulfil the hopes and aspirations of the nation, consolidate transparency, accountability, tolerance, human rights, and the rule of law. 

“Irrespective of the treasury bench and the opposition, I request all concerned to play appropriate roles in this House, which is the ultimate resort to fulfilling of people’s expectations.”  

He added that the ruling party and the opposition would also have to play a constructive role in strengthening transparency, accountability, tolerance, human rights, and the rule of law and to successfully fulfil the public dreams and aspirations of developing the country. 

Hamid said, “We have been embarking on the path of peace, democracy, development, and prosperity and we must go forward through this path.”

He said despite numerous obstacles, impediments, and hostilities, the present government is making utmost efforts to ensure the participation of the people from the grassroots level to the centre in consolidation of good governance, practice of democracy, and development activities. 

Recalling the supreme sacrifices of the 3 million martyred freedom fighters, Hamid said, “We have never-ending debt to the martyrs of 1971. 

“Regardless of religion, caste and creed, and forgetting the political-ideological-organisational differences, let us redeem our debt that millions of martyrs have bound us through their blood for the country by expediting the democratic process and socio-economic development of the country.” 

In his around hour-long speech, the head of the state said the 11th parliament was constituted through a free and fair general election held in 2018 upholding the country’s constitution.

“Our vision is beyond 2021, on 2041 when Bangladesh will take a prestigious seat among the nations of the world as a developed and prosperous country -- that is the aspiration of our nation,” he added.

In his speech, the president highlighted the government’s various development achievements in different sectors.