The 76th birthday of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was celebrated across the country Wednesday through different programmes.
On September 28 in 1947, Sheikh Hasina, the eldest of the five children of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib, was born at Tungipara in Gopalganj.
In celebration of the birthday of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is now in the United States in connection with the 77th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session, central leaders of Awami League (AL) wished her long life and success in politics.
Like previous years, the AL and its affiliated organisations celebrated the day through various events and discussions on the life and achievements of Sheikh Hasina, who is driving the nation towards prosperity following the footsteps of her father.
The programmes included holding blood donation and tree plantation campaigns, arranging colourful rallies and discussions, cutting cakes, cloth distribution, food distribution and offering special doa and milad mahfils seeking long-life and good health of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The same programmes were taken at the district, metropolitan, upazila, municipal and union levels in the country.
A discussion was held at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital this afternoon marking the birthday of Sheikh Hasina.
Chaired by AL presidium member Begum Matia Chowdhury, the discussion was addressed, among others, by AL general secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, AL presidium members - Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Shajahan Khan , Abdur Rahman and Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, joint general secretaries –Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni , Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud and AFM Bahauddin Nasim, organizing secretaries Ahmed Hossain , B M Mozammel Haque and Advocate Afzal Hossain, Secretary of the Liberation War Affairs Advocate Mrinal Kanti Das, Secretary of Relief and Social Welfare Shri Sujit Roy Nandi, Secretary of Science and Technology Affairs Engineer Md Abdus Sabur, Secretary of Labor and Manpower Habibur Rahman Siraj, Office Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua, Secretary of Women Affairs Maher Afroz Chumki, AL's Dhaka City North City unit President Sheikh Bazlur Rahman and Dhaka South City AL president Abu Ahmad Mannafi.
Deputy Secretary of Publicity and Publishing Aminul Islam conducted it.
Marking the day, the Sheikh Russel Jatiya Shishu Kishore Parishad organized a discussion at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital.
With Secretary General (Moha Sachip) of the organization KM Shahidullah in the chair, it was addressed, among others, by AL Presidium Member Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim and organizing Secretary Mirza Azam.
Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote organized a discussion at National Press Club marking the 76th birthday of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury addressed it as the chief guest with President of Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote Falguni Hamid in the chair.
Besides, special prayers were offered at all mosques of the country including Baitul Mukarram national mosque alongside holding milad-mahfils.
A special prayer was offered at the Dhakeshwari National Temple in the city at 11 am wishing sound health and long life of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Earlier, special prayers were also offered at Dharmarajik Buddist Mohabihar (Basabo Sabujbagh) at 10 am while Christian Association Bangladesh (CAB), Mirpur Baptist Church (3/7/A Senpara, Parvata, Mirpur-10) held prayers at 9 am in the presence of central Al leaders.
Meanwhile, Dhaka North City Unit of Jubo League organized a discussion and distributed sarees and lungis among the needy people on the premises of Friends Club ground in city's Uttara Sector-3 area.
With Dhaka City North Jubo League acting President Jakir Hossain Babul in the chair, the discussion was conducted by General Secretary Ismail Hossain.
Awami Jubo League Chairman Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash, Member of Parliament (MP) from Dhaka-18 constituency Mohammad Habib Hasan and Jubo League General Secretary Mainul Hossain Khan Nikhil also spoke it.
After the assassination of her parents in 1975, Sheikh Hasina and her family were offered political asylum in India, where she stayed till 1981 when she was elected as the president of the Awami League in her absence.
Sheikh Hasina returned home on May 17, 1981 when she was greeted by a mammoth crowd that extended from the Airport to Farm Gate and Manik Miah Avenue and she addressed a public rally.
In the 1986 parliamentary election, Sheikh Hasina was elected as parliament member from three different constituencies. After the overthrow of autocracy in 1990, she was elected as the Leader of the Opposition in the House.
In 1996 general elections, 21 years after her father's assassination, Sheikh Hasina led the Awami League and helped the party assume power and became the Prime Minister for the first time.
On August 21, 2004, Sheikh Hasina, the then opposition leader, barely escaped an assassination attempt as grenades were lobbed at an AL rally on Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital.
Although she survived the attack, at least 24 people were killed and over 500 others injured. Most of them were Awami League leaders and supporters.
In 2008, she led the Grand Alliance to an overwhelming victory acquiring 90 percent of parliament seats in the general elections.
She was elected the Prime Minister on January 5, 2014 for the second time in a row.
Sheikh Hasina assumed office of the Prime Minister for third consecutive term with a thumping victory in general elections in December 2018.
Under her leadership, Bangladesh has become a role model for development, attaining steady economic growth, becoming self-sufficient in food and attaining a marked progress in the fields of women empowerment, agriculture, education, health, infrastructure, communication, energy and power, trade and commerce, ICT and the SME sectors.
