By Mir Afroz Zaman
Dhaka, Aug 14 (UNI) Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said
she never tried to retreat from doing welfare of the country and its people even
after repeated death threats to her life.
'I've to move with the pain of losing close relatives. The path is not easy. I
know I may have to face death again ..I never tried to step back,' she said.
The Prime Minister was inaugurating 23 bridges on Joydebpur-Chandra-
Tangail-Elenga road (N-4) under South Asia Sub-regional Economic
Cooperation (SASEC) and Fatehpur railway overpass in Feni on Dhaka-
Chattagram highway through videoconferencing from her official residence
Ganobhaban.
She said although Bangladesh earned the Independence under the leadership
of father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the defeated
forces never sat idle. 'When they saw that Bangladesh was advancing
economically, they made the strike on 15 August 1975 with their all
strength.'
Sheikh Hasina, the eldest child of the father of the nation, said they did not
kill only the country's president, but also ruined a family completely.
'Ten-year-old Russel had not also been spared. Their motive was to make sure no
one of that bloodline comes (leadership) and that country's people do not
turn around again surrounding him,' she said.
The Prime Minister mentioned that she herself and her younger sister Sheikh
Rehana escaped the massacre as they were outside the country during the
brutal killing.
He said after passing six years in exile, she returned home in 1981 and since then,
she has a single aim which is to uplift the nation for which her father had sacrificed
his life. 'I've to change people's fate anyhow so that they can live in peace, happiness
and economic solvency.'
She also said people's fate saw no change after 15 August 1975. 'Only the
fate of some handful people who were in power illegally was changed.
General people were oppressed and deprived of all facilities.'Ms Hasina
said the government is taking necessary steps for the development of the
country and its people.'And I am getting cooperation from all.'
Talking about the bridges and the overpass which were opened today, she
said these will enhance the regional connectivity of the country which will
ultimately help Bangladesh open a new door for the socioeconomic
development.
She also mentioned that the highways the government is constructing have
two types of carriageways -- one for local people and the other for speedy
vehicles. 'Constructing the highways in this way to reduce road
accidents and to ensure that local people continue their communication
without any problem,' she said.
Road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader and chief of army staff
General Aziz Ahmed also spoke at the programme.
UNI MAZ AE 2224