To Hasina, people's love is 'greater' than Nobel Peace Prize

Leaders of UK Awami League have said after meeting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in London that she considers winning the love of Bangladesh's people 'greater' than getting Nobel Peace Prize.

They met the ruling party chief on Thursday at the Savoy Hotel, where she is staying during her stopover on way home after attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The Nobel prize was also discussed in the meeting, which took place a day before the name of the winner of the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize was scheduled to be announced.

UK Awami League General Secretary Syed Sajidur Rahman Faruk told bdnews24.com after the meeting: "Speaking about the Nobel prize, she (Hasina) said it doesn't matter to her."

"She said her biggest identity is that she is the daughter of Bangabandhu. She said her biggest achievement is the love of the people of the country," he added.

Leaders and activists of the Awami League largely believe the Nobel Peace Prize should go to her for saving the lives by sheltering over 500,000 newly arrived Rohingyas who have fled recent violence in Myanmar.

Hasina told the expatriate Awami League leaders that she had taken the decision to shelter the Rohingyas on humanitarian grounds.

"Bangladesh's people will arrange food for them as long as they stay," Syed Faruk quoted Hasina as saying.

He said they also discussed the Padma Bridge at the meeting.

"She became emotional while speaking about the bridge," Faruk said.

He quoted Hasina as saying, "Many thought that this job would not be possible for us to accomplish. But we've proven that we can."

He said the Awami League chief urged all the expatriates to work for Bangladesh's interests.

The expatriate leaders enquired about Hasina's health and wished her quick recovery. 

The unit's President Sultan M Sharif, and joint secretaries Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury, Abul Hashem and Zalal Uddin, among others, were also present.

Hasina underwent a gallbladder surgery in the US last month following sudden pain. She is scheduled to return home Saturday.