Sheikh Hasina: No Alternative

Arifur Rahman Dolon

It is really surprising that the Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina cooks food almost regularly. We become dump founded when we here that Sheikh Hasina goes for processing raw fish to feed her grand children. She gets the fishes clean and then cooks the fishes with all the affections and serves them with fondness. She serapes splendid mashed potato, very good at preparing hand-bread and also prepares choice pickles with her own hands till now. The president of ruling Awami League gets up very early in the morning every day. She says Tahajjud prayers and says Fazr before starting the day. She never misses her prayers. She goes through the morning Daily Papers everyday and takes necessary notes. She also gives some impromptu instructions at that time. This is her usual practice round the year. Can she be compared with anybody else?

The Bridge over Padma is becoming visible every day. It is like a dream. Which nobody thought of, her opponent’s razed negative Hue and Cry. Some People say that the view of Dr. Mohammad Younus was also negative in this respect. There was multiple oppositions to the idea of making the bridge. Even the rank and file of the ruling Awami League Party leadership was also pessimistic about the bridge. Only one did not give up hope. She is Sheikh Hasina. She said that the bridge will be constructed with our own finance. She has done it. This firm resolve, this benevolent desire, This undaunted aspiration for development of the Country was never displayed by any other leader of Bangladesh. Nobody had this firmness except Bangubandu Sheikh Mojibur Rahman. This reason that there is no alternative to Sheikh Hasina.

It was really more difficult to try the war criminals of 1971 than trying the killers of Bangubandhu. Lots of obstacles, treats from within and outside the country were there against the trial of war criminals. There were multiple challenges against it. Many people could not even think that the trial of the war criminal will be really held. But it was held and it still continuous. The main reason is uncompromising attitude of Sheikh Hasina in this respect. She was very firm about this matter.

The situation regarding power supply has improved beyond imagination. The growth of Bangladesh economy had been more than six percent for the last few years. Empowerment of women in the country is easily noticeable. The number of female student is above 50% now in school and colleges. The law and order situation in the roller areas is better than any other time in the past. The hundred percent sincerity of the present government and the Awami League has earned praise of the outside world. The poverty alleviation efforts of the government led by Sheikh Hasina is considered as a model worldwide. The president of China, one of the strongest economic powers of the world, has expressed his support to Bangladesh when he came on a visit to this country recently. The World Bank which squeezed its eyebrows with confusion for some time in the recent past has come forward with full throated praises of this country’s. The US Secretary of State John Kerry during his recent visit to Bangladesh was full of admirations for the leadership of Sheikh Hasin, which was a very meaningful signal conveyed by the US government. It is obvious that the US has given up misgivings and Sheikh Hasina is treading the right path.

The unthinkable success of Bangladesh in facing the challenges of climate change has earned this nations the prizes "Champion of the Earth" awarded by UNO. The world body has also awarded us with "ICT Sustainable Development Prize" In the condition of our endeavor to build Digital Bangladesh and for special rule in the development of ICT. The UN called upon the other nations to follow our country in this regard. Bangladesh has become middle income country under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina. The per capita income in our country is now approximately 1400 US dollar. There are a good number of achievements under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina. That the reason the country needs her most. The nation needs her as much as her party- The Awami League- as its president.

Sheikh Hasina is an admirer of music. She likes Tagore songs and songs of Nazrul very much. There is saying that one who loves music, can never be overhead by evil throats. It is really so. Sheikh Hasina works all the time. She reads, she writes and she bear expenses of education of many workers quietly. She takes personal responsibility of medical treatment someone every day. For example, the three girls offended by the devastating fire at Nimtoly were eccepted as daughters by the daughter of Bangabandhu. She arranges their marriage and enquires about their well being regularly. Sheikh Hasina has shouldered the responsibility of many a families like this. She is never gets annoyed. Rather she felts sorry for not being able to do more. Were shall we get such human leader like her?

I had liked cricket seen by boyhood. I use to play cricket and use to watch cricket. Burned with busy schedule of work. I feel to watch cricket matches quiet often. Even I field to see matches of Bangladesh cricket team. But Sheikh Hasina is really exceptional. The Prime Minister becomes tense when Bangladesh cricket team plays a match. She enquires the match while keeping busy with work. Sometimes she rushes to the cricket ground to encourage and to cheer up our cricketers. This is really much rare. This country has never seen such a sports-loving prime minister and politician. She called mountaineer Musa Ibrahim and congratulated him for scaling the mount Everest. She also congratulated Wasfia Nazrin and Nishat Majumder for scaling the highest peak in the world. Sheikh Hasina has soon us by pointing a finger before our eyes that she is incomparable when she gave a reply to a letter address to her by Shirshandu Biswas a class four school-gore of Patuakhali. The child Shirshandu in his letter to the prime minister has requested her to construct a bridge over river Payra which is full of tides. By giving a reply to Shirshandhus letter Sheikh Hasina proved how much she loves the country and each of the country men.

Sheikh Hasina has memorized the names of almost all the reveres of far flung areas of the country, be it Sowmeswri or Payra. I will not dwell on this topic. Possibly Sheikh Hasina is the only prime minister who goes through all the papers relating to different projects minutely which are placed in the ECNEC meeting. Let us look back at an incident of last year. The ministry of water resources prepared a project of six thousand crore taka for construction of dams and roads on the northern area of the country. The prime minister wanted to know from an important member of ECNEC on the night before ECNEC meeting whether he has gone through the project proposal of the project. The prime minister said by referring to the excessive allocation for consultants, that she has gone through the papers and she is not sure if this kind of project proposal should be past by ECNEC. The Minister saw the papers and went through them. He also took notes and realized that the points and questions reused by the prime minister are true. The prime minister rejected this project proposal in the ECNEC meeting. The minister said with pride that "This is the prime minister of our country". She is Sheikh Hasina. Who elevated herself to new heights of leadership through relentless work.

Who does not like listening to Tagore songs render by Rezwana Chowdhury Bannya. We listen to her song quite often. We were listening to songs of Rezwana Chowdhury Bannya in a live program sponsored by Channel I to commemorate the birthday of the renowned vocalist. While rendering songs the popular vocalist was giving replies to the question ask over telephone by the audience, we became astonist when we found that one of the questioners was Sheikh Hasina herself. No anxiety about protocol. The listener to the songs of Rezwana Chowdhury Bannya Sheikh Hasina told her about her liking of Rezwana’s songs. She also wish her happy birthday and requested her sing song of her choice. Where shall we get such sophisticated personality and political leadership?

Sheikh Hasina has urged to choose new leadership of the party in a meeting of the national committee of Awami Leauge. She said she has lead the party for 35 years. What more, she asked. She reputed same advise in the meeting of the working committee of Awami League. But is there any alternative to Sheikh Hasina? The answer is, no. Neither in the party, nor in the government. A number of powerful ministers and senior leaders of Awami League got scared when Hefazat-e-Islam vandalized the capital city on 5th may 2013 and there was an attempt to fish in the troubled waters centering this incident. Some AL leaders were on the retreat. But Sheikh Hasina did not get scared. She faced everything alone, safe the country and ensured its progress. The progress made by the country and its pace of development under leadership of Sheikh Hasina is quite surprising. No leader will be able to show so much courage and enthusiasm. Sheikh Hasina can, because she is the daughter of Bangubandhu. Salute to you Sheikh Hasina.

Lot of prayer for you. You must continue to lead Awami League and the Nation. We want to go further with much more speed.

Even the worst critic has to say, bravo Bangladesh! The world is amazed. We will burn down to ashes, but never bow down to anyone.

Translated By: Ali Kabir

Ex. Secretary, Government of The People’s Republic of Bangladesh.