Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today urged Awami League leaders and workers to take a fresh vow to build Bangladesh as a developed and peaceful country in South Asia.

"Bangabandhu dreamt of establishing Bangladesh as Switzerland of the East. We want to materialize the dream of Bangabandhu when the nation would celebrate the birth centenary of the great leader in 2020," she said.

Calling upon all associate bodies of Awami League and party's rank and file to take preparations for grand celebration of Bangabandhu's birth centenary and work together to make Bangladesh a middle income country by 2021 and a developed one by 2041 the prime minister said, "It should be our pledge on the birthday of Bangabandhu."

Sheikh Hasina, also the president of Bangladesh Awami League, was addressing a discussion organised by party's central committee on the occasion of 98th birthday of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Sheikh Hasina presided over the function held at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) at Agargaon here while Awami League presidium member Deputy Leader of the Jatiya Sangsad Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, AL advisory council members Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, Commerce Minister Tofael Ahmed, advocate Yusuf Hossain Humayun, presidium member Syed Ashraful Islam, general secretary Obaidul Kader, senior party leaders Jahangir Kabir Nanak and noted Islamic cleric Moulana Golam Mowla Sugandhi took part in the discussion.

AL Organizing secretary Ahmed Hossain, office secretary of Awami League Abdus Sobhan Golap, president of Dhaka North unit AKM Rahmat Ullah, MP, central committee member Prof. Rafiqul Islam, general secretaries of Dhaka South and North units of Awami League Shahe Alam Murad and Sadek Khan also spoke on the occasion.

Publicity Secretary of the Party Dr Hasan Mahmud and Deputy Publicity Secretary Aminul Islam conducted the discussion, while Ahakamullah recited a poem on Bangabandhu.

Paying rich tributes to Bangabandhu, the prime minister said Bangabandhu had immense love for the people of Bangladesh. So he dreamt of changing their fate to ensure their access to prosperous life, she said adding "I think it's our duty to materialize this dream to take forward our nation."

The prime minister candidly said Bangladesh would never be a place for militants and terrorists. She called on all to be alert against the anti-social and anti-religious elements. She particularly urged the Awami League leaders and workers to remain careful about the existence of any militant in their respective areas.

"You have to collect information about existence of any militant or terrorist in your area so you can inform law enforcement agencies to hand them over to law," she said.