Armed forces must help Bangladesh’s development efforts as ‘frontline soldiers’: Hasina

The armed forces must work as “frontline soldiers” in building a developed Bangladesh with the true spirit of patriotism, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said.

“Our patriotic armed forces must work to help implement the 20-year plan to make Bangladesh a developed nation by 2041. They will have to step forward.”

Hasina spoke at the graduation ceremony of the National Defence Course 2021 and Armed Forces War Course 2021 via videoconferencing from her official residence Ganabhaban in Dhaka on Thursday.

The Awami League had pledged to make Bangladesh a developing nation by 2021 in its electoral manifesto for the ninth parliamentary polls in 2008. Bangladesh has already achieved the eligibility to become a developing nation, according to the United Nations.

After winning the 2014 elections, the Awami League announced a plan for Bangladesh to achieve the 'developed nation status' by 2041, which the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman dreamt of.

Hasina also highlighted different efforts initiated by the government to enable members of the armed forces to keep pace with the changing global military landscape.

“Bangladesh will not go back,” Hasina said as she urged all citizens to work to free the nation of hunger and poverty.