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 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 in the capital on Thursday afternoon. Reports BSS.

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.”

Mentioning the country’s stunning socioeconomic development including increasing the salary of the government employees, Sheikh Hasina said, “We worked with you over the last 10 years. We are temporary (in office). But you are permanent. We are elected to power for five years.”

She said, “I’m fortunate that we came to power for the second time. So, our development projects are now visible. The living standard of the people has been changed up to the rural level during our tenure.”

About the development of Monga-prone areas of the northern region during her tenure, the premier said she visited the areas for several times. “But when I visited the northern region this time, I witnessed tremendous changes there.”

Pointing out that her government’s future aim is to further improve the living standard of the people, Sheikh Hasina said, “For this, in our election manifesto, we declared to build every village as a town so that all rural people could get all types of civic facilities.”

Referring to the construction of flats for all ranging from government employees to Dalit Harijon class, the prime minister said her government believes in equal development. “We will construct flats for slum-dwellers so every common people can get a beautiful life … none will remain neglected.”

About the changing the designations of subordinate employees of different professions, she said, “I have changed their designation as it is dishonor to him/her to be called as barbers or sweepers when their children become educated.”

Sheikh Hasina said, “I had changed the designations of the subordinate employees of army when I was in power in 1996. Later, I made arrangements for changing the designations of the lower class employees of our administration and other sectors … there were some designations of British regime which had no logic.”

The prime minister said the government has taken steps for giving Bangla New Year festival bonus so that the people of every religion can celebrate it in unison.

“We have taken measures to provide Boishakhi festival bonus so that all can celebrate our Bangla New Year together,” she added.

The premier expressed her determination to build Bangladesh in the non-communal spirit where there will be no difference between the rich and the poor.

“By reducing income disparity, we want to make such an arrangement so that the people can lead a better life,” she said.

At the end of her speech, Sheikh Hasina recited from Poet Sukanta Bhattacharya’s ‘Chharpatra’ communicating her desire to turn the country into a suitable abode for the posterity. She recited, “Choley jabo, tobu aaj jatakkhan dehe achey pran, pranponey prithibir sorabo janjal…….. E bishwake e shishur basjoggya kore jabo ami”.

In English, the lines could be read as: “I will leave, but I will clear the odds with all my efforts so long I’m alive. I will make the earth livable for the children; it’s my firm commitment to a new born”.

Later, the prime minister visited a terracotta mural set up on the wall of the main gate of the PMO.

Chhatra League leader Muhammad Arifuzzaman Nur Nabi is the sculptor of the mural enriched with the glorious history of Bangalee nation from 1952 Language Movement to 1971 Liberation War.

AH