Always be ready to protect Constitution, sovereignty of motherland: PM to Army

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday asked the Bangladesh Army to be always ready for facing any threat from home and abroad to protect the sacred Constitution and sovereignty of the motherland.

"For protecting the sacred Constitution and sovereignty of the motherland, you have to be ever ready to face any threat from inside and outside keeping the unity intact," she said.

The Prime Minister said this while delivering her speech in a programme raising flags of eight units and organisations of Bangladesh Army. She joined the programme, which took place at Sheikh Hasina Cantonment, Lebukhali in Patuakhali, virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban.

She said that Bangladesh Army is the symbol of confidence and trust and they have to step forward through gaining the trust of the people.

She mentioned that as the members of the Army, the first need for army personnel is professionalism and training.

"And to attain this desired standard of this professionalism, you all have to be skilled professionally, imbued with religious and social values, maintain honest and benignant life," she said.

The Prime Minister hoped that members of the Army will sincerely discharge their responsibilities maintaining the key driving forces of the Army including confidence in upper leadership, mutual trust, compassion, brotherhood, dutifulness, responsibility and above all, maintaining discipline.

She said that the government wanted that members of the armed forces would perform their duties towards the country and its people with responsibility, dutifulness and affection to the motherland.

Reiterating the foreign policy of the country, which was introduced by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, 'Friendship to all, malice to none', she said that Bangladesh does not want war with anyone, rather it wants friendship with all.

"With these friendly relations, we want to develop Bangladesh socioeconomically," she said.

But she firmly said that if Bangladesh is attacked at any time, the government wants to maintain its preparation for facing that attack.

"We want to be ready like that way, we want peace and friendship, we don't want enmity and war, because we've already witnessed the destructiveness of war, we're the victims of war, we don't want to engage in that type of conflict again," she said.

She said that Bangladesh wants to go through the path of prosperity keeping its journey on the path of peace.

Sheikh Hasina said that economic development and prosperity of the country are the main goals of the government and it has been working restlessly towards that direction.

The Prime Minister said the government has taken all necessary steps to develop Bangladesh Army as capable of facing geo-political and military challenges of the 21st century.

In this regard, she mentioned that the government has been implementing forces goal-2030 that was formulated following the Defense Policy of the Father of the Nation.

Praising members of the army for their integrity and responsibility in facing various natural disasters and humanitarian crises, she asked them to continue their efforts in the days ahead.

The Prime Minister also appreciated the role of the army in facing the Covid-19 pandemic and said members of the army are lauded for creating mass awareness on coronavirus.

About the national standard, the Prime Minister said, it is a matter of dignity and pride for any battalion or unit of the forces to receive the national flag.

Earlier, the Prime Minister took salute of members of the Army through a video conference from Ganobhaban.

Chief of army staff General Aziz Ahmed also spoke at the programme from Sheikh Hasina Cantonment.