DHAKA: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed her firm determination to keep up the pace of development saying premiership is not a valuable thing to her but a scope to serve the people.

The premier was addressing a reception on the occasion of the Armed Forces Day-2018 at the Army Multipurpose Complex at Dhaka Cantonment on Wednesday (Nov 21).

Sheikh Hasina said, “I’m making strides to serve the people and advance the country further … Bangladesh will surely advance Insha Allah.”

The prime minister said Bangladesh is now a role model of development in the world and it has earned the UN recognition of a developing country. “We achieved this honour through liberating the country and many nations of the world now want to follow Bangladesh,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh is marching towards development and the aim of her government is to keep up the pace of uplift.

Near the end of her speech, the Primer also expressed her feelings and wish reciting a few lines from a poem written by renowned American poet Robert Frost. She ended her speech by saying, “The woods are lovely, dark and deep; But I have promises to keep; And miles to go…”  

The prime minister accorded the reception to the successors of Birshreshthos, and the gallantry award-recipient freedom fighters of the armed forces.  

Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division (AFD) Lt Gen Md Mahfuzur Rahman delivered the welcome address at the function.

Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, PM’s Security Advisor Major General (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddiq, Chief of Army Staff General Aziz Ahmed, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Nizamuddin Ahmed and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Masihuzzaman Serniabat and high civil and military officials were present.

BDST: 1735 HRS, NOV 21, 2018
AP