Take country forward with Liberation War spirit: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today urged all to work together in a planned way so that the country's march forward based on the Liberation War spirit never stops.

"I want Bangladesh to move forward with the Liberation War spirt and this journey must not be stopped as we want to make the country a middle-income one by 2021 and developed one by 2041," she said.

The prime minister was speaking at the distribution ceremony of the 'Swadhinata Puroskar-2018' (Independence Award- 2018), the highest civilian honour of the country.

She handed over the awards to the recipients at a function organised by the Cabinet Division at Osmani Memorial Auditorium.

This year, 18 distinguished personalities received the award in recognition of their outstanding contributions to their respective fields.

Sheikh Hasina said it was a dream of the Father of the Nation to fulfill the basic rights of people. "To me remaining in power means discharging my responsibilities to people, build the country with the great Liberation War spirit and make it a poverty- and hunger-free one as dreamt by the Father of the Nation," she said.

She mentioned that Bangladesh has fulfilled all the criteria to step into the developing country group. "We'll now move in the world arena with our heads high, never bow down our heads."

Cabinet members, MPs, secretaries, diplomats, the awards recipients and other guests were present at the function.

The recipients are: Quazi Zakir Hasan (posthumous) in the category of Independence and Liberation War, Shaheed SMA Rashidul Hasan (posthumous) in Independence and Liberation War, Shankar Govinda Chowdhury (posthumous) in Independence and Liberation War, Air Vice-Marshal Sultan Mahmud Bir Uttam in Independence and Liberation War, M Abdur Rahim (posthumous) in Independence and Liberation War, Bhupati Bhusan Chowdhury alias Manik Chowdhury (posthumous) in Independence and Liberation War, Shaheed Lieutenant Mohammad Anwarul Azim (posthumous) in Independence and Liberation War, Humayun Rashid Chowdhury (posthumous) in Independence and Liberation War, Shaheed Amanullah Mohammad Asaduzzaman (posthumous) in Independence and Liberation War,

Shaheed Motiur Rahman Mallik (posthumous) in Independence and Liberation War, Shaheed Sergeant Zahurul Haq (posthumous) in Independence and Liberation War, Amzadul Haq in Independence and Liberation War, Cultural Affairs Minister Assaduzzaman Noor in Culture while Channel-i director Shykh Seraj in Agricultural Journalism, Prof Dr AKMD Ahsan Ali in Medicine, Professor AK Azad Khan in Social Service, Selina Hossen in Literature and Dr M Abdul Mazid in Food Security.

Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam read out the citations at the programme.