Alleging that Ziaur Rahman, HM Ershad and Khaleda Zia had patronised the killers of Bangabandhu only to hurt her, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina here on Thursday said Bangladesh will continue to move ahead braving all the conspiracies.

‘Despite many conspiracies, the country is moving ahead and will continue to move ahead as there’ve been many sacrifices by people, AL leaders and workers, and the sacrifices and devotion of the Father of the Nation and my mother....no one will be able to suppress the people of Bangladesh,’ she said.

Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League President, said this while addressing a memorial meeting on August 15 killings held at Krishibid Institution Auditorium in the city organised by Bangladesh Chattra League (BCL).

After the August 15 killings, Hasina said, the killers and those who had opposed the country’s Independence never thought that the remaining members of Father of the Nation’s family would again come to power.

She alleged that Ziaur Rahman who had grabbed power illegally after 1975 violating the constitution and HM Ershad and Khaleda Zia patronised Bangabandhu’s killers, and even made places for the killers in parliament. ‘Why? Because they wanted me to give me pain so that I break down. But, they failed to understand whose daughter I’m.’

The Prime Minister said now Bangladesh is a role model of development and it does not happen without any effort or overnight. ‘Bangladesh is moving ahead as AL has been able to be there in office for successive terms tackling many adverse situations.’

She said it is the most important thing in the life of a politician to love the country, work for the country’s welfare and its people, make any kind of sacrifice and thus have the courage and guts to take any sort of risk.

She also asked each and every BCL member to get educated properly so that they could build the nation and take the future leadership.

‘The right education is very much needed as we’ve already seen that uneducated leadership can too much of harm to the country as we saw Bangladesh plunged in terrorism, militancy, looting and money laundering (during tenure of BNP-Jamaat).’

Referring to the remarks of Bangabandhu on BCL that the history of BCL is the history of the Bengalees, Hasina advised the BCL leaders and workers not to forget such words of the Father of the Nation.

‘I’ll ask all the BCL leaders and workers to continue to take proper education, and there will be no progressiveness if there is no peace. I want that peaceful environment prevails in the country so that we can move towards prosperity and progressiveness.’

Hasina said whenever any natural disaster hits the country she always motivates the leaders and workers of AL and its other associate organisations to stand beside the affected people for the cause of humanity.

‘This is the duty of AL and also the ideology of the Father of the Nation. You’ll have to remain prepared with that ideology of Bangabandhu,’ she said.

Recalling the role of Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib in the life of Bangabandhu, Hasina, the eldest daughter of Bangabandhu and Bangamata, said the Father of the Nation could work for the country without any interference since her mother made huge sacrifices.

Earlier, a one-minute silence was observed remembering the martyrs of August 15 and the August 21 grenade attack.

The Prime Minister also unveiled the cover of a publication of BCL.

Chaired by BCL president Saifur Rahman Sohagh, the meeting was conducted by its general secretary SM Zakir Hossain. AL general secretary Obaidul Quader was present at the programme.