I feel proud of being Bangabandhu’s daughter: Sheikh Hasina

As she addressed the officials and employees of the Prime Minister’s Office on the last working day of her current tenure, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said she feels proud of being the daughter of the Father of the Nation not the premier.

“I feel proud of being a daughter of the Father of the Nation, not the prime minister … I don’t think about how I will enjoy the post, rather it’s a matter of consideration to me that how much I can engage myself in the people’s welfare,” she told the officials and employees at the PMO here this afternoon.

Sheikh Hasina termed the Prime Minister’s Office as a very important place for the government and reminded the public servants about their responsibilities.

“Whether I stay (in power) or not, there will be an appeal to you that you will discharge your duties with utmost sincerity as you’re the public servants,” she said.

The premier added: “Your salary and allowances come from the taxes paid by the common people. So, it’s your responsibilities to serve them and do their welfare.”

PM’s Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman moderated the function, while PM’s Poltical Affairs Adviser HT Imam, Principal Coordinator on the SDG at the PMO Md Abul Kalam Azad, PM’s Military Secretary Major General Mia Mohammad Zainul Abedin, PMO Secretary Sajjadul Hassan and PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim spoke on the occasion.

Besides, Director General (DG) of the PMO Begum Nasirn Afroz, DG of the Special Security Force (SSF) Major General Mujibur Rahman, PMO Protocol Officer Khurshid-ul-Alam and Assistant Director Md Mokbul Hossain addressed the function, among others.

Sheikh Hasina said in an emotion charged voice: “I don’t think myself as the premier. I’m a father’s daughter … I perform my responsibilities as a child (of my father).”

“I expect from you that you will consider me as a daughter of Bangabandhu and your near and dear one … I feel proud of it, not being the prime minister,” she added.

The premier said: “I got the responsibility of the premiership and through it, I got a scope for doing work and making welfare of the country … it’s a big thing to me.”

Putting emphasis on maintaining continuity of the government, Sheikh Hasina said: “We’ve completed many development works as we stayed in the government for 10 years at a stretch. Many works are still pending and it depends on the people if they cast vote for us. Then we will be able to return to power and complete the work.”

“Otherwise, the people will choose their fate,” she said, adding “I’ve no anguish or grief here and I’ve nothing to get in my life.”

Mentioning that changing the lot of the people is her only expectation, Sheikh Hasina said: “I always think that my father had liberated the country and I can materialize the expectation which Bangabandhu had with the people so that his soul rests in peace.”

Source: bss