Arafat urges new generation to engage with AL to build Smart Bangladesh

State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat today (28 June) called upon the new generation to engage themselves with Awami League (AL) to build a Smart Bangladesh as it is the only party which meets the hopes and aspirations of the people of Bangladesh.

"We want to build a Smart Awami League for building a Smart Bangladesh before the Smart World. That's why I urge the new generation to join and engage themselves with AL to build a Smart Bangladesh," he said.

Arafat said this while talking to journalists after visiting a photo exhibition titled "From Bangabandhu to Sheikh Hasina in the flow of history" arranged by Dhaka District Awami League at its office building in the capital's Tejgaon area.

The photo exhibition was arranged marking the 75th founding anniversary of Awami League.

Highlighting the glorious history of AL, the state minister said Bangladesh Awami League is one of the largest political parties having a rich history and heritage in South Asia.

The party has a glorious role to lead in every democratic movement and struggles for achieving the country's independence and sovereignty, he said.

Marking the 75th founding anniversary of AL, Arafat penned a short write-up on why the new generation would do politics of Awami League. In answer to the question, he mentioned in his write-up that there is no other option apart from Awami League.

Like AL, there is no other political party which imbued with the spirit of the Liberation War, and which was born and brought up with the support of the people in the mainstream, said the state minister.

He said there are some parties which were born at the hands of the military rulers from the cantonment and some others are directly anti-liberation forces.

There are some other parties also which are very weak and have no capacity without making some demands, he mentioned.

"Awami League is the only party which has to meet the hopes and aspirations of the people of Bangladesh. It had met the nation's aspiration for freedom."

Under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Awami League had brought independence to the country through the Liberation War, he said, adding: "Later, the party also contributed to establishing democracy through struggle and movement."

And now the AL government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is making its efforts in the journey of the country's development and progress, he said.

"Under the leadership of Bangabandhu's daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the country is marching forward to achieve economic emancipation," Arafat continued.

The Awami League has much more glorious roles, achievements and contributions to the country than its flaws and failures in its long journey of 75 years.

Replying to a question, the state minister said the Information and Broadcasting Ministry is implementing a project across the country to present the development policies to build future Bangladesh up to the union level.

"To build a Smart Bangladesh, Smart Citizens are needed. To do this, we have to engage the people with our vision and policies. So, we are doing the work to communicate with the people to bring them under the common motto to achieve the vision of building Smart Bangladesh," he said.

Dhaka District AL President Benzir Ahmed, it's General Secretary Paniruzzaman Tarun, Vice-President Kazi Shawkat Hossain, Organizing Secretaries Halima Aktar Labanyo and Shakur Hossain Shaku, Office Secretary Arman Hossain Apu, Deputy Office Secretary Nahidul Alam Nadim, and Deputy Publicity Secretary Sharif Hasan were present, among others.