Practise tolerance, shun differences

President Abdul Hamid yesterday said the opposition parties, alongside the ruling party, would have to play a constructive role in maintaining transparency, accountability, tolerance, human rights and rule of law.

Addressing the inaugural sitting of this year's first parliament session, he called upon all, irrespective of their status as treasury or opposition bench members, to play their due role in the Jatiya Sangsad.

"Let us all, irrespective of our religion-colour-caste, repay the debt of blood of millions of martyrs through establishing an exploitation-free society by shunning the differences of party, paths and opinion," Hamid said.

He said the Jatiya Sangsad is the focal point of all hopes and aspirations of the country's people. "I would like to make a clarion call to all political parties, and people, irrespective of classes and professions, to take a collective initiative for building consensus on democratisation, good governance and unhindered socioeconomic development."

The president said all have to work unitedly to eliminate corruption, drugs, terrorism and militancy from the country by upholding the spirit of Liberation War in order to build the "Sonar Bangla" dreamt by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

According to constitutional obligation, the president has to deliver his speech at the inaugural sitting of the first session of the new year. The cabinet earlier approved the president's speech.

The new year session is also the 11th session of 11th Jatiya Sangsad.

Yesterday, the House went into the session around 4:30pm, with Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair. The sitting was arranged following health safety rules and maintaining social distancing amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

In his speech, President Hamid said despite innumerable obstacles, the relentless efforts of the government have been sustained for ensuring participation of the people in consolidating good governance, practice of democracy and implementation of development programmes.

He read out an abridged version of his speech in order to save time. The full speech was tabled in parliament.

Hamid said all-out efforts have been continued by the government to uphold the rule of law in the country. Good governance has been established through swift delivery of verdicts in various sensational cases, including the Bangabandhu murder case.

Mentioning that all sectors of Bangladesh's economy have been negatively affected by the impact of the pandemic, the president said the prime minister issued multi-dimensional directives, including a 31-point guideline on how to combat the situation, through virtual conferences.

"Not a single person in the country was left unfed during the pandemic period because of free distribution of food, sale of rice for Tk 10 a kg and distribution of cash money."

Bangladesh has been tackling the coronavirus situation successfully due to the well-timed and courageous decisions taken by the PM, Hamid added.

The president described the government's various success in different sectors, including in economy, health, agriculture and communications.

About the health sector, he said the government has made unprecedented progress in ensuring healthcare services for all. "The biggest achievement of the government has been successful control of Covid-19 in recent times."

Talking about the government's efforts to procure Covid-19 vaccines, the president said he was optimistic that the government would soon be able to deliver vaccines to the people.

He said the government's "zero tolerance policy" against corruption, drugs, militancy, terrorism, extremism and communalism has achieved sweeping success, which has brought relief to public life and is being lauded globally.

Hamid said the immortal March 7 Speech of the greatest Bangalee of all times,  Father of the Nation Bangabadhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his life and ideals should be followed by all freedom-seeking people of the world, including the Bangalees.

"Bangabandhu and Bangladesh are inseparable entities. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is a legend. He became the principal leader of the movement for self-determination of the Bangalees through his uncompromising leadership, firm determination and sacrifices."

The president said the invisible Bangabandhu is equally powerful like the living Bangabandhu.