Calling on the people of the country, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has said: “A few days ago, all of us, regardless of religion and caste, together drove autocracy out of this country. Now let us all work together for the country.”
“When the Liberation War took place, all of us, regardless of party and regardless of religion and caste, fought and freed the country. Just a few days ago, we bade farewell to autocracy from this country. People of all classes and professions, of all religions and views, came out onto the streets and drove it out. That means that if all of us, shoulder to shoulder, do good works for the country and for the people, all of us will benefit,” he said.
The prime minister made the appeal to the public on Monday before inaugurating a tree-planting program on the bank of the Sagardi canal in the Trish Godown killing-field area of Barisal. The prime minister inaugurated the program by planting a coconut sapling, and prayers were held after the planting.
Calling on everyone to come forward to protect the environment, the prime minister said: “Protecting the environment is not the responsibility of the government alone, nor of the city corporation alone. All of us have to come forward. Let us, on this day of tree planting, all pledge together that we will keep the country’s environment clean and in order. Let this be our commitment.” He said: “Each of us will try to ensure that the environment of our surrounding areas — around our homes, our offices, our schools and colleges, our hospitals — is not spoiled, and that the environment there stays beautiful and good.”
Referring to the Sagardi canal at Trish Godown, the prime minister said: “The Sagardi canal is surely a very important canal for this area. Caring for this canal is not the responsibility of the city corporation alone either. All the people who live on both sides of the canal must care for it.” He said: “Many times, many plastic bottles, polythene, tissue paper and various other things float in the water of this canal. That is, those of us who come to the park perhaps drink water and then throw the bottle into the canal. My humble request to all of you present here is that, whenever you meet anyone, please tell everyone that we will not throw these things into the canal.” Drawing the city corporation’s attention, the prime minister said a dustbin had been set up there, and asked that announcements also be made by loudspeaker so that those who sat by the canal or came to stroll in the evening would throw their rubbish in the bin to keep the canal clean.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report