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PM Sheikh Hasina Extends Pahela Baishakh Greetings
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued a message today, extending greetings to the nation on the occasion of Pahela Baishakh, the first day of Bengali New Year 1431, to be celebrated tomorrow. In her message, she emphasized that Pahela Baishakh holds significance as the universal festival marking the beginning of Bengali New Year. It symbolizes harmony and serves as a unifying celebration for Bengalis worldwide.
Sheikh Hasina urged everyone, regardless of religion or caste, to embrace the new year with joy, leaving behind the sorrows and setbacks of the past. She highlighted that Pahela Baishakh embodies the essence of Bengali identity and heritage, reflecting the cultural richness of the Bangalees.
During the Pakistan period, Sheikh Hasina recalled, Bengalis faced attempts to suppress their traditions and culture by the colonial power. However, they resisted these efforts with determination, ultimately joining the struggle for liberation under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The prime minister emphasized that the fusion of culture and politics during the liberation struggle paved the way for the emergence of independent Bangladesh. She noted with pride that the traditional Mangal Shovajatra has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage, symbolizing the resilience and spirit of the Bangalee nation.
Sheikh Hasina expressed confidence that following this path would lead Bangalees to excel on the global stage. She asserted that the achievements and progress of Bangalee heroes would endure through the ages, showcasing the indomitable spirit of the Bengali nation.
The premier underscored the lifelong commitment of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to uphold ideologies such as secularism, liberalism, nationalism, and democracy, which are integral to Bangladesh’s identity. She hoped that the spirit of Pahela Baishakh would inspire the nation to combat militancy, fundamentalism, extremism, and anti-liberation forces, striving towards a society free from hunger and poverty, and realizing the vision of a golden Bangladesh envisioned by Bangabandhu.
Leaders of the quota reform movement have resolutely refused to negotiate with the government, insisting that their movement will persist until their demands are met.
In a Facebook post, Hasnat Abdullah, a coordinator of the movement, declared, “No discussion through stepping onto blood.”
Asif Mahmud, another prominent leader, echoed this sentiment, stating, “There can be no dialogue with bullets. I would prefer death over this betrayal.”
He further elaborated, “On one side, there are bullets. On the other, there is a call for dialogue. We can’t sit for dialogue while stepping onto the blood of our brothers.”
Earlier, leaders of the quota reform movement accused the government of escalating the law and order situation towards violence, asserting that their movement was peaceful until the government’s intervention.
Vowing to continue their struggle, Asif Mahmud stated, “We will continue our protests till we achieve our demands for reformation of the quota system, reopening of the halls and campuses, making university campuses terror-free, withdrawing political forces from the campuses, and punishing the killers and attackers.”
He added, “The people of the country have encircled those who tried to corner us. No conspiracy will be able to derail our movement.”
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today urged both local and international investors to invest in the extraction of marine resources from Bangladesh’s extensive sea areas.
“In order to fortify the blue economy through the diverse utilization of our marine resources, I call upon local and foreign investors to seize the opportunity to invest in Bangladesh. This will enable us to harness more of our marine resources,” she announced.
The Prime Minister made these remarks during the inauguration of the Bangladesh International Aquaculture and Seafood Show-2024 at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in Dhaka.
She emphasized the importance of adhering to proper standards in the collection, distribution, and processing of fish to boost exports, aiming to make fish the country’s second-largest source of foreign currency.
Sheikh Hasina pointed out that her government has made limited progress in harvesting fish and other sea resources from the deep sea due to a lack of interest from local investors.
“Therefore, we need foreign investment to advance in this area. This is the reality we must face,” she noted.
She also suggested that both local and foreign investors can collaborate in joint ventures or invest separately in this sector to achieve better results.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecasted light to moderate and moderately heavy rainfall or thundershowers, accompanied by temporary gusty winds, across all eight divisions of the country over the next 24 hours, starting from 9 am today.
In its weather bulletin issued this morning, the BMD stated, “Light to moderate rain or thundershowers with temporary gusty wind is expected in a few places over Rangpur, Mymensingh, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions. Additionally, one or two places in Rajshahi, Dhaka, Khulna, and Barisal divisions may experience similar conditions, with moderately heavy falls anticipated at several locations in Rangpur, Mymensingh, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions.”
The bulletin also highlighted that the current mild heat wave sweeping across the Rangpur division and the districts of Tangail, Chuadanga, Rajshahi, Pabna, Bogra, and Netrokona may persist.
Daytime temperatures are expected to rise slightly, while nighttime temperatures are likely to remain nearly unchanged throughout the country.
On Wednesday, the highest recorded temperature was 36.7 degrees Celsius, observed in Rajshahi, Rangpur, and Rajarhat. The lowest temperature recorded today was 26.0 degrees Celsius, noted in Bandarban and Teknaf.
Over the last 24 hours, rainfall amounted to 16 mm in Bandarban.
For the capital, the sun will set at 6:48 pm today and rise at 5:21 am tomorrow.
