Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has reiterated her call to teachers, guardians and religious clerics to motivate children against all evil forces, including militants, terrorists and drug traffickers.

“We have to take steps to give our children a healthy life and ensure their peaceful stay with their parents so that they do not go astray,” she said.

Hasina was addressing a children's rally and cultural programme on the Bangabandhu Mausoleum Complex premises here yesterday.

The women and children affairs ministry and the Gopalganj district administration jointly organised the event marking the 98th birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the National Children's Day.

The PM said Bangladesh would go ahead with the ideals of the Father of the Nation who dreamt about a hunger- and poverty-free country and the children of today would make Bangabandhu's dream a reality.

“I firmly believe that Inshaallah, we will be able to build Bangladesh as a developed and prosperous nation before celebrating the golden jubilee of the country's independence.”

She urged the children to study attentively and take advantages of the facilities provided by the government to build themselves as worthy citizens.

Advising the children to take lessons of patriotism from the life and works of Bangabandhu, Hasina said since his boyhood, Bangabandhu used to work for the people.

During his school life, she said, Bangabandhu used to give away his schoolbooks and personal belongings to his needy friends and fellow schoolmates as he felt for their sufferings.

Bangabandhu dedicated his life to the cause of the people as he deeply loved them. He wanted to see Bangladesh as a developed and prosperous nation where people would not be oppressed, intimidated and deprived, the premier told the programme.

Bangabandhu closely monitored the problems of the people as he was brought up in the village and had close contact with them, she said.

She urged the children to read Bangabandhu's Asamapta Athmajiboni (Unfinished Memoirs) and Karagarer Rojnamcha (Diary in Jail) to learn about the struggle of his life.

Hasina said Bangabandhu used to love the children most. He always had the expectation that every child would be a worthy citizen of the country.

About Bangladesh's graduation from the LDC status to a developing country, she said Bangladesh was no more falling behind to its neighbouring countries.

“The UN recognition to us as a developing country has put Bangladesh in the same rank of the neighbouring countries in South Asia. So, we are not lagging behind.

“The recognition is an acknowledgement to our government's continuous stride towards economic prosperity over the last nine years.”

Hasina said Bangladesh was born from a province of an LDC in 1971 and for many years the country fell behind as it could not progress after the brutal killing of Bangabandhu in 1975.

Bangladesh would have become a developed and prosperous nation much earlier had Bangabandhu been alive, she mentioned.

There would be no street children in Bangladesh, the PM said, adding that every child would get food, healthcare services and a decent life.

State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Meher Afroz Chumki attended the function as the special guest, with Arafat Hossain, a third grader of SM Government Model Primary School in Gopalganj, in the chair.

Cabinet members, cabinet secretary, chiefs of the three services, senior Awami League leaders and government officials were present.

Hasina released a commemorative postage stamp in memory of Sheikh Russel, her youngest brother.

She unveiled the cover of a children's book titled “Amader Chhotto Russel Sona”. Bangladesh Shishu Academy published the book authored by the PM.

A video titled “Uthbo Jege Chhutbo Bege” was screened on the occasion. The prime minster also opened a book fair and visited a painting exhibition of the children.

Later, she handed over sewing machines to two disadvantaged women of Gopalganj. She distributed prizes among the children who took part in literary and cultural competitions organised by the district administration.