State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh On the occasion of March 26 — the great Independence and National day of Bangladesh my sincere greetings to all Bengalis living home and abroad. On this very day, I recall with deep reverence our great leader and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by whose clarion call Bengalis started the War of Libration. I pay my homage to our 30 million martyrs and 2 hundred thousand mothers and sisters whose supreme sacrifice and dishonor ushered us an independent and sovereign Bangladesh colored in red and green. My respectful salute goes to all freedom fighters including the wounded war heroes on this auspicious moment of Independence Day. I express profound gratitude to all foreign friends, expatriate Bangladeshis, members of diplomatic front who accelerated our victory by extending all possible support during the Liberation War of Bangladesh. March 26 is the day of breaking the shackles of subjugation. On this day, the Bengalis protested against the misrule, exploitation and oppression. Our war heroes took arms at the call of the Father of the Nation. Before that, on March 7 in 1971, Bangabandhu in his historic speech at the then Race-Course Maidan (President Sohrawardy uddyan) declared, "The struggle this time is the struggle for our emancipation; the struggle this time is the struggle for liberation.'' Being started on March 26, the bloody war ended fruitfully through the emergence of an independent and sovereign Bangladesh. March 26 is a day to remember the great leader Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, war heroes and at their contributions as well as take oath to realize the spirit of our Liberation War which motivated the Bengali Nation to make supreme sacrifices. This is also an occasion to introduce our new generation to the true history of our Liberation War. The government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been working tirelessly to materialize the dream of the Father of the Nation for a secular as well as hunger and poverty free prosperous Bangladesh. As a result, Bangladesh is marching forward with $1,316 per capita income, more than 6.5% growth rate and $28 billion of foreign currency reserve. Progress in infrastructure development, electricity production, education and health sectors, women empowerment, use of technology, human resource development, expansion of social safety net, successful implementation of the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations, new dimension in foreign relations- all are bringing change in Bangladesh. Today, Bangladesh is a role model to the outer world. These changes in Bangladesh are towards prosperity and welfare. And, you, my expatiate brothers and sisters are a part of this onward movement. Today $13 billion of remittance is the outcome of your love for the motherland as well as your families. This remittance is contributing significantly to the development process of Bangladesh. To keep up with this pace of development we all will be working unitedly under "Vision 2021" declared by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to transform Bangladesh into a middle income country by 2021 and follow the path of development to take Bangladesh to the level of a developed country by 2041. We pledge this on this 46th day of Independence and National Day. Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu.
