Bangladesh Awami League’s anniversary: 69 years with the land and people

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Published on June 23, 2018
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Forty-nine years ago, the nation had the dream for freedom. Then, Awami League was the party to lead the road to freedom. Now, the nation has another dream — seeing Bangladesh as a developed country by 2041. Once more Awami League is leading the country towards the goal. We are working to make life better for every citizen.

It is because of our vision for a better economy that the national GDP rose to 7.65%, the per capita income soared to USD 1752, poverty dropped by its half to 22%.

We introduced the social safety net program that changed 55 million lives. In April 2018, the country made all-time highest forex reserve – USD 33 billion.

We gained food security with record productions in fish, rice and winter vegetable in the world.

Our government opened the horizon for 3 million people to fly abroad. From July 2017 to May 2018, the expatriates sent back around USD 13.57 billion in remittance.

Our promise was ‘Digital Bangladesh’, and we are working to ensure every citizen’s access to Information Technology.

Forty-nine years into the liberation, we set up the International Crimes Tribunal to try war criminals. Five of them has already been.

We introduced first-ever national women development policy in Bangladesh. In terms of gender equality, the country outshined India on a global scale.

With the promise of “electricity for all by 2021”, we have already provided access to electricity to 80 percent of the populace.

Till 2018, 260.88 crore textbooks were distributed for free among school-goers on 1st January. The rate of education rose to 70%.

BNP has been trusted twice only to be trusted never again. In its last tenure, Sheikh Hasina, now the prime minister came under grenade attack. There had been a sudden outburst of militants who made series bomb blasts in 64 districts. Women freedom was a far cry.

Nevertheless, in this period the flag that had been achieved through the sacrifice of 30 million martyrs was placed on the cars of some war criminals, now convicted by International Crimes Tribunal. They were ministers then!

Be with Bangladesh Awami League that upholds the spirit of the independence, works untiringly for a better economy and better women empowerment and is diehard to make Vision 2021 a reality.

Bangladesh Awami League's History

The only political party in the world history that fought for a nation’s language, freedom and flag is Bangladesh Awami League (means ‘People’s League’). It was the people’s choice even long before Bangladesh emerged as an independent country. It was the symbol of hope in 1971 when our party led the liberation war – a response to the massive genocide committed by Pakistan.

At present – quite a few decades into the liberation - it is still the people’s choice. It is still the strongest advocate of democracy, secularism and humanity in the country. The flame of dream has been passed by visionaries like Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy, father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and now Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Who will take it forward? It’s you.

For 16 crore Bangladeshis, the country map is not merely a map but also the memento of 3 million martyrs and 30,000 Biranganas (war heroines). It was under the great leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibar Rahman that millions of Bangladeshis took part in the war.

Like every war has a background, the 1971-war also followed a series of crucial events like Awami League’s winning of 1970-election and six-point demand placed by Bangabandhu in 1966. Another crucial episode that paved the road to freedom was 1952-language movement in which Awami League leaders and its student wing played an instrumental role.

In its 68 years of journey, the party had been on the forefront of all struggles that led Bangladesh towards where it is today. In 1947 when two nations – India and Pakistan – came into being, ending 200 years of British colonialism. Since the inception of Pakistan, its center of power and economy had been in West Pakistan, and Bangladesh (then East Bengal) enjoyed the least. Cultural dissimilarities were abound between the east and west wings, which were separated by thousand miles.

On January 4, 1948, the visionary leadership of then young Shiekh Mujibur Rahman led the formation of East Pakistan Students League, an opposition student organisation. A year later - on June 23 - the party would be formed (initial name All Pakistan Awami Muslim League) by Bengali nationalists as the first opposition party.

The name was changed to Awami League in 1955, beginning the journey of secular politics in Bangladesh.

The path has not been smooth always. Instead, black chapters had taken over several times. And the boat (Awami League’s party symbol) sailed through all those storms. In 1975, Bangabandhu and his entire family were assassinated in their residence. His murder was followed by the killing of four national leaders as part of an evil design to eliminate the spirit of liberation war. His two daughters survived as they were abroad.

The farewell to Bangabandhu meant the farewell to democracy as well. It was not until 1981 that Bangabandhu’s daughter Sheikh Hasina, then party president, could land on Bangladesh. Thus began her nine-year protest against the military dictator.

In 1996, Awami League rose to state power once more. Not to be outdone by earlier glories, it made some remarkable achievements like making a treaty to end a longstanding dispute with indigenous people in Chittagong hill tracts, constructing Jamunabridge – the world’s 11th largest bridge, and gaining food security.

In 2004, Sheikh Hasina, then opposition leader, came under a grenade attack in a public rally in the capital. She survived narrowly but several key leaders died.

In 2008, Awami League had another landslide victory in the election promising ‘Digital Bangladesh’ and ‘Vision 2021’. International Crimes Tribunal was formed to try the wartime criminals.

And the journey of the red and green flag goes on with the journey of Awami League. In 2014, the party won the election once more and the party continued its development strides towards achieving Vision 2021 and Vision 2041. The construction of Padma Bridge began to connect the capital with the southern Bangladesh. The construction of Metro Rail is going on, to eliminate the hassles of the Dhaka city-duelers. More than 5 million poor families are being provided with rice costing 10 taka per kilogram. 5.5 million people are receiving financial assistance from government under social safety net.

Vision 2021 is yours. Let it be a reality. Let’s have the biggest celebration in 2021- the 50th year of independence.