Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Today is March 26, the great Independence and National Day. 45 years back, our great leader, the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared independence on this very day. The Bengali heroes started the Liberation War at his clarion call. That war was against the exploitation, oppression, atrocities and killing by the Pakistani military junta. On this auspicious Day, I pay deep reverence to the great hero of the War of Independence, the greatest Bengali of all times Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who led his people from the front in various movements and struggles from 1952 Language Movement to the 1971 Liberation War to the greatest achievement of Bengali nationhood — independent Bangladesh. With unfathomable love and respect, I recall the supreme sacrifices made by our war heroes, the 3 million martyrs and the wounded freedom fighters. I also pay my deep respect to the two hundred thousand women who lost their honor and dignity at the hands of the Pakistani Army and their collaborators for the cause of our beloved Bangladesh. My sympathy goes to those families who lost their near and dear ones during the Liberation War. I also pay my gratitude to people from all walks of life and especially the members of the diplomatic front who, during and after our Liberation War, put in a very courageous role that created the ground for obtaining moral, financial and military support from global community in favor of the Liberation War. Enormous contributions from our foreign friends have been written in golden letters in the history of the emergence of Bangladesh — we are privileged to recognize their contribution and bestow honor. Bangabandhu's daughter and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has declared ‘Vision-2021' in line with the spirit of Liberation War and the dream of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to build a ‘Sonar Bangla' (Golden Bengal) to achieve people's socio-economic emancipation and to build a poverty and hunger-free prosperous country. In its second consecutive term, the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is now working to transform the country into a middle income country by 2021 and a developed country by 2041. Bangladesh has already attained the status of a lower middle income country in the World Bank Index and is on track to become middle income country well before 2021. After successful completion of the ‘Millennium Development Goals' (MDGs) in which Bangladesh has been acclaimed as a ‘role model', we are now committed to the objectives and realization of the ‘Sustainable Development Goals' (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. With Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the helm of affairs as an acclaimed ‘Global Leader', Bangladesh is ready to take up the challenges of achieving the sustainable development goals. On this Day, I thank all the members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and our Missions abroad who have been working with sustained dedication and commitment in achieving our foreign policy objectives and promote national interest of Bangladesh on the world stage. I also congratulate Bangladesh Diaspora in every corner of the world which is immensely contributing to the strengthening of the image of Bangladesh — they are our true ‘Ambassadors'. Their contribution to the economy is also gratefully acknowledged. On this historic Day, Let us make a renewed pledge to devote ourselves to work from our respective positions imbued with the spirit of Liberation War to build a ‘Sonar Bangla' and also a better world for our future generations. Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu.
