The Joint General Secretary of ruling Awami League also lawmaker of Kushtia-3 constituency Mahbub Ul Alam Hanif said Sheikh Hasina is a beacon of hope for Bengalis.

Hanif told it on the occasion of Awami League President, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Homecoming Day on May 17.

He said this in a Facebook status.

Hanif said the historic return of Bangabandhu’s daughter Sheikh Hasina to homeland in a quest to restore the spirit of the war of liberation and to establish a prosperous Bangladesh was a significant event.

She returned to the country on this day in 1981 after a long exile after the assassination of Bangabandhu in 1975. On that day, millions of people from all over the country welcomed her, Bangabandhu’s daughter was soaked in love.

After the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family in 1975, his eldest daughter Sheikh Hasina was able to return home on May 17, 1981 after spending six years in different countries with her husband and children. Leaving his two children Sajeeb Wazed Joy and Saima Wazed Putul with her younger sister Sheikh Rehana, she returned to the country at the risk of life only to restore democracy and progressive politics in the country.

Like politics, nature was turbulent on the day. The day in 1981, was storm-blowing, the speed of wind was 65 miles per hour. Heavy rains and disasters could not stop the procession of millions of pro-democracy people. Disenfranchised people from villages, towns, cities and ports rushed to the capital Dhaka to welcome Sheikh Hasina, the blood heir of Bangabandhu, their only beacon of hope.

Ignoring the torrential rain, they were waiting at the airport, waiting for the ‘leader’ to arrive. Finally, Sheikh Hasina reached the tide of the sea through Kurmitola Airport at 4 pm. After long six and a half years, she set foot on the soil of the country. The roads from Kurmitola International Airport to Sher-e-Bangla Nagar were crowded to catch a glimpse to Hasina.

Thousands of people gathered at the old airport in Tejgaon that day, ignoring the inclement weather and heavy rains. The area of ​​airport was shaken by the sound of ‘Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu’. The area was abuzz with slogans like ‘Hasina, we promised you we will avenge our father’s murder’, ‘Sheikh Hasina’s arrival, greetings welcome’.

Sheikh Hasina was taken from the airport to Manik Mia Avenue, where in a gathering of millions of people, Sheikh Hasina said in a steamy voice, ‘I have come to you after losing everything. I want to sacrifice my life to avenge the murder of the Father of the Nation by implementing his ideals in the way directed by Bangabandhu himself. I have nothing to lose. I have come to you after losing all including my parents and brother Russell. I want to get them back among you. ‘

After Bangabandhu’s assassination, Sheikh Hasina, the today’s Prime Minister, had to live in exile in an extremely hostile environment. While she was abroad, the Awami League leaders unanimously elected Sheikh Hasina as the party president in the council session held in 1981. After returning to the country, the leaders handed over to her the flag of Awami League, the country’s largest and traditionally successful political party leading the liberation war. Since then, Sheikh Hasina has been repeatedly elected to the party council and has been acting as the party president. She has been elected Prime Minister four times including incumbent. The trial of Bangabandhu’s murder has been completed in due process, the trial of war criminals is also going on.

Besides, she has also educated her two children well. Son Sajib Wazed Joy is an information technologist today. He graduated from Harvard University in the United States. Daughter Saima Wazed Putul has been working as an autism specialist in various international organizations including the United Nations.

Sheikh Hasina, the eldest daughter of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, has had to go a long way in leading the party for a long time. Apart from imprisonment, risk of life and even death, she has brought the Awami League to its present position by overcoming many ups and downs and setbacks.

In the successful leadership of Hasina, the Awami League has got the opportunity to come to power four times and is still in power.

During the rule of Awami League under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina, a new dimension of socio-economic development of the country has been marked.

Returning from the valley of death again and again, the victorious Sheikh Hasina did not become restless, hesitate, rather is leading the caravan of the struggle for the rights of the people of Bangladesh in a more radiant manner.

She is as steadfast, firm and courageous as her father Mujib in the question of principles and ideals. She has been making a groundbreaking contribution to the socio-economic development of the country and the welfare of people of all walks.

Bangabandhu-daughter Sheikh Hasina is determined to build a developed, modern, prosperous, non-communal welfare state through the implementation of ‘Vision 2041’ to middle income Bangladesh of ‘Vision 2021’.