PM asks BCL leaders to discard personal interest, greed

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has asked the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) men to build themselves as perfect leaders by moving forward with sacrificing mind leaving personal interest and greed.

 "If you (Chhatra League leaders and activists) move ahead with sacrificing mind discarding personal interest and lust, you could establish yourselves as perfect leaders," she said at a discussion as the chief guest.

 BCL central executive committee organized the discussion in the city's Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC), marking the National Mourning Day and 47th martyrdom anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Sheikh Hasina, also the ruling Awami League (AL) President, said, "If you want to make money and wealth unnecessarily, then you can't attain leadership quality, can't serve the country and can't give anything to the people".

 She said BCL leaders and activists will have to build themselves as true patriots in their future journey being imbued with the spirit of the Liberation War and the belief of non-communalism.

 "Then, you can go to the right direction," she added.

  Mentioning that money and wealth don't do anything in the time of necessity, the premier said Covid-19 pandemic has shown us it as many wealthy people became helpless at that time.

  "We have to keep it in mind. It's the reality. It's true," she said.

  The AL president asked the BCL leaders and activists to read the Unfinished Memories, Karagarer Rojnamcha (Diary in Jail), Amar Dekha Naya Chin of Bangabandhu and the Secret Documents of Pakistani intelligence to know many things.

  "If you read the secret document, you will learn many things and can gain knowledge to do politics," she said.  

 Sheikh Hasina also asked the BCL leaders and activists to engage them in enhancing food production as the world might face a deeper food crisis.

 "If needed, our Chhatra League will have to help plant paddy seedlings as they did in harvesting paddy (during the Covid-19 period)," she said.

 She called upon every BCL men to plant trees massively, engage in crop cultivation and thus increase food production in their respective village homes and the place where he or she lives - it may be a hostel or educational institute.

 Because, the world might witness direr situation and the foods might not be purchased despite having money, she said, adding, "So, we will have to produce our own foods."

 The premier also urged the BCL men to show austerity in the use of electricity, water and fuels amid the world economic crisis.                                                                                                

 With BCL President Al Nahiyan Khan Joy in the chair, its General Secretary Lekhak Bhattacharya moderated the discussion.

 BCL Dhaka University Unit President Sonjit Chandra Das, General Secretary Saddam Hossain, Dhaka North Unit President Ibrahim Hossain, General Secretary Saidur Rahman Hridoy, Dhaka South Unit President Mehedi Hasan and General Secretary Jubayer Ahmed, among others, also spoke.

 At the outset of the discussion, one minute of silence was observed to pay tribute to the martyrs of the August 15 carnage.

The premier also unveiled BCL's two publications -"Matribhumi" and "Joy Bangla" at the event.

The prime minister said the BCL is an organization which Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman himself established and she knew that many things on BCL were published in the media.

"BCL is a big organization and we have been in power for a long time and that is why, many bad people intrude into the party. They cause trouble on their own but responsibility falls on the BCL," she noted.

 She directed the BCL leaders not to include bad elements in the party to enlarge their own group. "It harms your reputation, party's reputation, country's reputation as some people are always against us," she added.

 Mentioning that Chhatra Dal, student wing of BNP, have done lot of misdeeds but media doesn't see it, she said, "If BCL does tiny mistake, they (media) publish big news. So, you have to stay on the right track."

Laying emphasis on education, Sheikh Hasina said BCL leaders and activists will have to do study to learn as fourth industrial revolution (4IR) nears.

 "I want skilled human resources and that is why, I've established lots of universities to meet the demand as it is the time for science and technology and 4IR," she said.

The prime minister said every BCL leader and activist has to build them as eligible citizen obtaining proper education.

"Education and knowledge is inevitable to run the country alongside knowing history and developing foresight," she said, adding that without these, country's development will never be materialized and it is the realty. 

 Sheikh Hasina said after the 1975, the country's educational institution witnessed the jingle of arms and bombs, but Awami league government have ensured congenial atmosphere for education, wiping out those from the campuses.

 To ensure education for all, she said that her government is setting up universities in each district and providing stipend to the students to ensure higher education.

 Mentioning that Ziaur Rahman handed over arms to the students, the premier said she gave pen, paper and book to the hand of BCL men for study. "Actually, without education, none can serve the nation," she said.

She directed the BCL men to put concentration on study at first as the government has diversified the education.

Extending her gratitude to the BCL for standing beside people during the Covid-19 pandemic, Sheikh Hasina said she directed the BCL as a pioneer organization to help people and leaders and activists of BCL have done it. 

 About the August 15 carnage, she said her father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman could never believe that any Bangalee could kill him. 

He (Bangabandhu) had brought the independence of the country and led a very simple life always despite being the president and the prime minister of this country, she said.

 Recalling the contribution of Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatun Nesa to the struggle for freedom, Sheikh Hasina said her mother had not only taken care of family matters but also looked after the organisation when her father was in jail.

  "The dedication of my mother is incomparable. My father was very lucky that my mother had no personal desire or never wanted anything for her personal interest," she said.

  Though Bangabandhu often had to go to Karachi to join the National Assembly after becoming its member in 1955, Bangamata had never gone to Pakistan and didn't want to visit there as well, she said.

 The prime minister said her mother had never annoyed her father over the familial affairs, rather Bangamata had helped her husband make timely and right decisions regarding national life and the freedom struggle.

  "My mother had a firm belief that the country would be liberated . . . My mother never got frustrated. We always found her with firm morale and infinite patience," she added.