Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday urged people of all strata in Sylhet alongside the public representatives, administration, BCB, and law enforcement agencies to give special attention so a peaceful environment prevails here during the matches of the upcoming T20 World Cup to be held in Bangladesh.
“I urge people of all strata in Sylhet to give special attention so a peaceful environment prevails during the T20 World Cup matches in Sylhet and no such incident occurs that could stop the game,” she said at a civic gathering at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium after formally inaugurating it.
Hasina said: “We don’t want any chaos or clash… people of Bangladesh want peace as peace can lead to development. I’ll ask all concerned not to let any such incident or situation to occur that could mar the games of the T20- World Cup here,”
Organised by Sylhet Divisional Sports Association, the function was also addressed by Finance Minister AMA Muhith, State Minister for Youth and Sports Biren Sikder and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hasan Papon, MP.
Divisional Commissioner and Divisional Sports Association President NM Ziaul Alam presided over the function. Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports Arif Khan Joy was present at the dais.
The Prime Minister said apart from the role of the BCB, law enforcement agencies and the administration, the cooperation and support of the local people is very important for successfully holding the upcoming matches of the T20 World Cup here in Sylhet.
She mentioned that completing the works of an international stadium in just seven months was not an easy task to accomplish defying various obstacles like hartals and blockades enforced by the BNP-Jamaat-Shibir last year.
Hasina extended her heartfelt thanks to all concerned including the Finance Minister, designers, consultants, workers, and members of the law enforcement agencies for materializing the long-cherished dream of the people of Sylhet.
Expressing gratitude to the people of Sylhet for electing Awami League candidates in the January 5 parliamentary polls, she said that the Stadium is a gift from her to the people of Sylhet.
“Whatever good things the people of Sylhet got were during the tenure of Awami League,” the PM said, and revealed her plan to help set up a five-star hotel and another cost–efficient hotel to turn this region into an attractive tourism spot.
She said it was the Awami League government that had provided all kinds of support in turning Sylhet into a Division, established a modern railway station here apart from turning the local airport into an international one.
Besides, Hasina said that her government has introduced direct Sylhet-London flight side by side setting up an agriculture university, engineering college and a new Division of the Bangladesh Army here.
She said the aim of her government is to deliver better life to the country’s people where sports and culture could create scope for flourishing the dormant talents of the children and the youths as well as help build their characters and prevent them from wrong path. “So, sports on one side and education on the other is very much needed.”
Expressing her strong optimism that Bangladesh would continue to move ahead, the Prime Minister said those who had grabbed power illegally did not have love for the countrymen and the anti-liberation forces do not want the country to prosper further.
In this connection, she said those who had grabbed power after 1975 through the killing of Bangabandhu gave attention to their own fortune, not ensuring development of the country.
Hasina alleged that the same thing happened after 2001 when the BNP-Jamaat alliance assumed office, as they turned Bangladesh into a country of terrorism, militancy, money laundering and corruption.
She also noted that due to the relentless efforts of her government, Bangladesh has been able to elevate itself above the grey line of corruption and militancy.
The Prime Minister also expressed her firm resolve to turn Bangladesh into a prosperous mid-income country by 2021 and a developed country by 2041.
“But, it’ll be possible if the pro-liberation forces remain in power. If the anti-liberation forces are there, the country won’t advance rather march backwards,” she said, citing the example of increasing the country’s power generation to 11,000 MW during her tenure.
Source: UNB Connect