Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said she is not ready to die before death as she will have to work for the country and its people to fulfill Bangabandhu’s dream for building a hunger- and poverty-free Sonar Bangla.

‘The death will come at its own way and time, but I’m not ready to embrace it before it comes,’ she said.

The Prime Minister said this while speaking at a mass reception accorded to her by Awami League at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan for some remarkable developments and achievements in different fields of the country under her leadership, reports the UNB.

The reception was arranged for attaining Bangladesh’s eligibility to graduate from a least developed country (LDC) to a developing nation, successful launching of Bangabandhu Satellite-I, Sheikh Hasina’s achieving the Global Women’s Leadership Award from US-based NGO Global Summit of Women and her receiving D. Lit from Kazi Nazrul University of India.

The reception was held with Awami League Presidium Member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury in the chair.

Sheikh Hasina, also the chief of the ruling Awami League, said she will serve the people of the country and work for changing their fate until her death. ‘My father’s soul will get peace... I know from the heaven he will see the people of his country are now in good shape...positive changes have come to their lives.... I just want that.’

The Prime Minister said she does not want anything in her life except seeing the country is built as a hunger- and poverty-free Golden Bengal which was the dream of the Father of the Nation. ‘My only aim is to fulfill my father’s dream,’ she said.

The entire venue was tastefully decorated with building a huge L-shaped podium. A big gate was erected at the entry point in front of Matsya Bhaban to the venue while 40 other colorful gates were erected from the city’s Matsya Bhaban to Shishu Park area.

City streets from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s official residence Ganobhaban to Suhrawardy Udyan were also decorated with banners and festoons.

A cultural function had been arranged with the participation of the country’s noted singers at noon before the function formally began at 3pm.

A 30-minute presentation was made on the history and heritage of the Bangalee nation.

AL general secretary Obaidul Quader read out the felicitation message at the programme and handed it over to the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister said her politics is for the oppressed and deprived people. ‘When I’ll be able to build their fate then I’ll feel I’m successful.’

She further said, ‘I had to pass through bumpy paths, I had faced repeated hurdles from home and outside, I had to face conspiracies, but I stuck to my ideal and policy, I never compromised with those.’

The Prime Minister said she overcame all the hurdles and bumpy roads upholding the ideal. ‘My aim was just one: to fulfill my father’s dream, if I’ve to sacrifice my life for that I’ve no objection.’

Hasina said she does not need any sort of reception and she dedicated it to the people of Bangladesh.

‘I want to say it clearly that we don’t have any desire to gain anything. If the people of the country get food and an improved life that will be our success...we’re taking all the planning keeping that in mind...we’re working for changing the fate of people,’ she told the rally.

Hasina went on saying, ‘The biggest thing to Awami League is the country. The existence of the country, its rights and rights of people are very important.’

‘We want the people of the country to be prosperous and have a beautiful life. But, we’ll never tolerate anyone to play duck and drakes with the fate of people,’ she said.

Hasina said each and every village will be the centre of all development. ‘The people of the each village will get urban facilities.’

Talking about the country’s communications systems, the Prime Minister said the government will introduce bullet trains from Dhaka to Chittagong, Sylhet, Dinajpur, Barishal and Payra Port.

She also mentioned that seven additional aircraft will be procured for improving air communications on international, regional and domestic routes.

Coming down heavily on a section of people who are out there in the field to resist Boat, the election symbol of Awami League, the Prime Minister questioned why do they want to resist Boat?

‘That means by resisting Boat, you’ll put Razakars and war criminals in power again...this is my question to those who’re out there in the field to resist Boat,’ she said.

Talking about the trial of war criminals and Bangabandhu killers, the Prime Minister said the country was freed from the stigma through the execution of the verdict.

‘With this, Bangladesh got back its path towards development...the pace of development has got the momentum when we put these criminals on trial and executed the verdicts,’ she said.

About the ongoing drive against militants and drugs, the Prime Minister said the government has achieved a huge success in eliminating militancy. ‘We’re conducting a drive against drugs... we’ve to free the country from the clutches of drugs, we have to save our youths. We’ve to utilise their merit, power and creativity.’

Hasina thanked people for casting their votes in favour of AL in 2008 and 2014. ‘As you vote us to power, we’ll able to put the country on the path of development,’ she said.