Prime Minister urges BCL leaders to earn people’s trust

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today asked leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) to live up to its political ideals and have good manners to make it a dignified organization alongside earning confidence and trust of the countrymen.

"All the Chhatra League leaders should bear in mind its contribution in all the democratic movements including the language movement, six-point demand and Liberation War," she said.

The premier simultaneously asked the BCL leaders and activists to behave, talk and do politics in a way that would make the organization a dignified one.

She was addressing as the chief guest a grand reunion of incumbent and former leaders of the BCL marking its 72nd founding anniversary at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan here this afternoon.

Noting that Chhatra League had always played a significant role in any critical juncture of the nation, she said the BCL should work to win confidence and trust of the nation.

The premier declared Al Nahiyan Khan Joy and Lekhak Bhattacharya as president and general secretary of BCL. Earlier, they were made acting president and general secretary of the organization.

Sheikh Hasina earlier witnessed a colourful cultural function organized by the BCL.

AL Advisory Council Member Tofail Ahmed, Road Transport and Bridges Minister and AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader spoke as former presidents and Khaled Mohammad Ali as an ex-general secretary of the BCL.

AL Presidium Member Advocate Jahangir Kabir Nanok introduced former BCL presidents and general secretaries to the gathering.

A documentary on the role BCL in all the democratic and progressive movements including the Liberation War of 1971 was screened on the occasion.

At the outset of the function, a minute's silence was observed as a mark of respect to the memory of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and late BCL leaders.

Recalling the glorious role of the BCL in the country's all past movements, Sheikh Hasina said the organization, founded by Bangabandhu, made important contributions to help reach all struggles to their logical ends.

"If we prepare any list of the shaheeds (martyrs), then we will see names of Chhatra League leaders and activists who established the rights of the people by sacrificing their lives," she said.

She paid rich tributes to the BCL leaders who sacrificed their lives for the cause of people's welfare.

The premier said, "Banganbandhu had established the Chhatra League on January 4 1948, a period when the Pakistanis tried to snatch our mother tongue. The Chhatra League was organized to psyche up for the Language Movement."

In this context, attempt was made to erase Bangabandhu's name from the history of the Language Movement, she said, adding that "Many used to say what Bangabandhu did for the Language Movement as he (Bangabandhu) was in jail at that time."

Rebutting their opinion in this regard, she posed a question: "Why Bangabandhu was in jail at that time."

He (Bangabandhu) was in jail for organizing the Language Movement, Sheikh Hasina said.

The historic March 7, 1971 speech of Bangabandhu is now internationally recognized while UNESCO is set to jointly celebrate the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman with the Bangladesh government.

The premier said Bangabandhu entrusted the Chhatra League leaders and workers with the task of taking to the people the "Joy Bangla" slogan, the 6-point and the 11-point demand and idea of the proposed flag of an independent Bangladesh.