Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said that Awami League was formed on this day in 1949 to bring back the independence of Bangladesh which was lost in Amrakanon on June 23, 1757 through the defeat of the last independent Nawab of Bengal.

"Under the leadership of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, this organisation (AL) was well organised in the whole of Bangladesh. He also led the party to be elected in the 1970 election and the first sun of independent Bangladesh government rose on April 10 and April 17 at the Amrakanon of Meherpur in 1971," she said.

The prime minister was speaking after paying tribute to Bangabandhu and inaugurating programmes marking the 70th founding anniversary of the Awami League.

Since its founding on June 23, 1949, the party played leading role in all democratic movements. It led the nation in the War of Liberation in 1971 under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

"We attained our independence with the sacrifice of three million martyrs. The country was freed from the occupational forces on December 16, 1971 when the Pakistani forces surrendered to the allied forces," she said.

The Father of the Nation was assassinated on August 15, 1975 while the four national leaders - Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmed, Captain M Mansur Ali and AHM Qamruzzaman - were brutally killed inside Dhaka Central Jail on November 3, 1975.

She said that the government is advancing the country and it has attained its glory that was lost through the killing of the Father of the Nation.

Sheikh Hasina recalled the sacrifice of numerous supporters, activists and leaders of the party for establishing the rights of the people in the country.

Marking the party's founding anniversary, she placed a wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi-32. She stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of respect to the memory of the Father of the Nation.

Later, Sheikh Hasina, also the president of Awami League, placed another wreath at Bangabandhu's portrait as the party chief. She then hoisted the national flag and party flag with the national anthem and released pigeons and balloons.

She went to the Bangabandhu Museum and stayed there for sometimes.