Staff Correspondent: Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Saturday said the independence of the country which was earned at the

cost of blood got fulfillment after the home coming of Father of the

Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on January 10.

“Bangladesh achieved victory on December 16, 1971 under the

leadership of Bangabandhu. Yet, there was a black spot in the mind of

Bangalees despite the delight — when Bangabandhu will come? Finally

our independence got fulfillment after the home coming of Father of

the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on January 10 in 1972,”

he said.

The minister made the comments while addressing a discussion at an

auditorium of Jatiya Press Club in the city. Awami Hawkers League

organized the discussion marking the home coming day of Father of the

Nation Bangabandhu.

Hasan said Bangabandhu taught slogans to Bangalees- ‘Bir Bangalee

Ashro Dhoro, Bangladesh Swadhin koro, tomar amar thikana, Padma,

Meghna, Jamuna. And millions of Bangalees snatched the independence

through shedding blood being inspired with the slogans, he added.

He said Bangabandhu didn’t go to his family after coming home on

January 10. He went to Suhrawardy Uddyan where millions of people were

waiting with tears to see Bangabandhu for a moment, he added.

The minister said Bangabandhu, in the human sea, told that the

people liberated the country, freed him and he was ready to repay

their debt with his own blood. “But, on that day, we couldn’t think

that he (Bangabandhu) would be assassinated by the killers on August

15, 1975,” said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.

He said the economic growth of the country was 7.4 percent when

Bangabandhu was assassinated. “Even after 40 years of his

assassination, we could not exceed that growth rate. Bangladesh

exceeded 7.4 percent GDP growth under the leadership of Bangabandhu’s

daughter Sheikh Hasina,” he added.

About a comment of BNP leader Rizvi Ahmed over the speech of the

premier, the information minister said, “I would like to urge BNP to

look into the reports and statistics of IMF, Asian Development Bank

and the United Nations on Bangladesh’s progress before criticising

blindly and deafly.”

AL Publicity and Publication Secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golam, MP,

joined the meeting through online while AL Relief and Social Welfare

Secretary Sujit Roy Nandi and AL Dhaka city North unit president

freedom fighter Abu Ahmed Mannafi addressed it as special guests.

Former general secretary of Awami Hawkers League Md Jahed Ali

conducted the meeting with its former president SM Jakaria Hanif in

the chair.