‘I want to build Bangladesh in such way so that entire world looks at wonder’

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina here today kicked off the boring works of the much-awaited Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel, vowing to build Bangladesh in such a way so that the entire world looks at it (country) with wonder.

“I want to build Bangladesh in such a way so that the whole world looks at it (country) with surprise … this is my expectation, nothing else,” she told a civic rally as the chief guest marking the launching of the boring works of the tunnel at Patenga here this afternoon, report BSS.

Sheikh Hasina added: “I don’t want name and wealth. My only desire is that the people of Bangladesh to move keeping their head high. That’s why I want to do fresh things so that solvency comes in their (people) life and they can move with dignity.”

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Senior Secretary of Bridges Division Khandakar Anwarul Islam and Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Zhang Zou also spoke at the function.

A representative of China Communication Construction Company Ltd (CCCC), which has been appointed as a consultant for construction of the tunnel, presented a replica of the tunnel to the prime minister.

Mentioning her exile life after the assassination of Bangabandhu, the prime minister said: “When we were outside of the country at that time, we had to hear that Bangladesh means as a country of famine, cyclone and tidal surge. Negative comments were made in the case of Bangladesh and for this I felt pain … it cannot happen.”

Sheikh Hasina said the nation earned independence through shedding blood and great liberation war. “We’re victorious nation. We want to move keeping our head high and the people will move with dignity.”

The premier said she is working relentlessly to develop the country and bring smiles on the faces of the common people. “I am doing labour restlessly not looking at any side so that everybody gets education, medicare and a beautiful life and none remains homeless which were dream of my father and which he wanted time and again,” she said.

She added: “Becoming penniless and losing everything, I’ve come to work for the country … I’m working for an ideology as my father and mother struggled their entire life and they liberated the country with an aim to bring smiles on the faces of the distressed people.”

“It will be my biggest achievement if I can a little work for them and there is nothing to get beyond this,” she said.

Referring to the proposals of different quarters including the road transport and bridges minister for naming the Padma Bridge after her (the PM), the prime minister said the name of the bridge will remain as the Padma Bridge and there is no need to include any other name in it.

“We’re constructing the bridge with our own fund. The bridge is now visible … as so many things happened with the bridge, its name will remain as the Padma Bridge and there is no necessity to add any other name to it,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said there is nothing to be angry or anguished here. “I don’t want name … I don’t want anything,” she said.