Prime Minister and Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said that Bangladesh is moving forward with the ideals taught by the great Language Movement of 1952.

“No country can progress without ideals. And the Great Ekush (February 21) has taught us this ideology . . . Bangladesh today is moving forward with the ideals, resulting in the change of fate of the people of the country,” she said.

“The Great Ekush (February 21) taught us not to bow down, it also taught us to walk with our heads high, and to go forward with ideals,” she said.

Paying respect to all the martyrs of the Language Movement (February 21, 1952), the premier urged all to walk worldwide with their heads high.

“Today, we have got our independence only through the spirit that emerged from the Language Movement,” she said, adding, “We have to make this independence meaningful, and it must be carried forward.”

Sheikh Hasina noted that those who wanted to erase the history of the country’s independence distorting the truth will gradually go to hell.

“And the Bangalees will continue to hold their heads high in the world arena with their independent belief and this is the reality,” she added.

AL Presidium Members Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim and Dr Abdur Razzaque, Advisory Council Member and Cultural Affairs Sub-Committee Chairman Ataur Rahman, Dhaka South City AL President Abu Ahmed Mannafi, Dhaka North City AL President Sheikh Bazlur Rahman, Dhaka District AL President Benzir Ahmed and Bangla Academy Director General Poet Mohammad Nurul Huda also spoke.

AL publicity and publication secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap and his deputy Syed Abdul Awal Shameem moderated the discussion.

At the outset, one minute silence was also observed to pay deep tribute to the martyrs of the Language Movement.

Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque