Excellencies,

Ladies & Gentlemen,

Good afternoon to you all.

Tomorrow, on 17 March 2020, we are going to celebrate the Birth Centenary of the Greatest Bengali of all times, the architect of the sovereign and independent Bangladesh, the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The Government has announced ‘Mujib Year’ to celebrate the Birth Centenary both at home and abroad throughout the year.

Excellencies,

On this historic occasion, I recall with profound reverence, the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who steered our epic struggle for freedom.The universality of the political ideals of Bangabandhu against oppression and prejudices make him a great source of inspiration for the people all over the world. Banganadhu dedicated his life to establish a democratic, peaceful, poverty-free, hunger-exploitation and discrimination-free society, ‘Sonar Bangla’, a Golden Bengal, a prosperous and stable Bangladesh.

With a foreign policy dictum of “friendship to all and malice towards none”, Bangabandhu made his mark amongst the international community within a very short span of time through promoting humanism, fellow feeling, empathy and compassion for the maintenance of international peace and security.

Ladies & Gentlemen,

We celebrate 17 March, the National Children’s Day, every year with the intention of inspiring the new generation of our country to learn the significance of the War of Liberation from the life and struggle of Bangabandhu.

Under the visionary leadership of the Hon’ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the government has been working to turn Bangladesh intoan upper middle income country by 2021 and a developed country by 2041. Among the 45 Asia-Pacific countries, Bangladesh achieved 8.15%, the highest GDP growth rate last year.

Dear All,

As you are aware that the people of the country were eagerly waiting to hold the inaugural ceremony in a befitting manner.  The current global scenario with regard to the outbreak of COVID-19 (Corona Virus) are not allowing us to hold such large scale public event at this moment for the sake of public health safety as well as the safety of our invited esteemed guests. Now we have decided to hold a televised inaugural ceremony instead of the public event of 17 March 2020.

The receptions and public events to be organized by our Missions abroad to celebrate the Birth Centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman all over the world have also been deferred to later convenient dates within the ‘Mujib Year’ upon improvement of the situation.

On the eve of this historic occasion, may I wish, let us work unitedly to build a happy and safer world for our next generation.

I pray to the Almighty for the salvation of the departed soul of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on his Birth Centenary.

Joi Bangla, Joi Bangabandhu.

May Bangladesh Live Forever.