Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today vowed to return the trust and confidence of the people for giving her party the opportunity to form the government for the third consecutive time.

“You’ve put your confidence and trust upon me, you’ve cast votes in favour of Awami League, I’ll surely uphold the dignity of that trust and confidence. We’ll advance the country further towards development and prosperity,” she said.

The prime minister said this while talking to media after exchanging Eid greetings with a cross section of people, party leaders and workers and professionals at her official residence Gono Bhaban.

She said Bangladesh is moving forward and it will keep advancing. “Defying all odds, we’re able to establish Bangladesh as a dignified nation in front of the whole world. Let this march towards advancement be continued,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina, also the chief of ruling Awami League, said her government is working to ensure that no-one can treat Bangladesh in an undignified way and that the country keeps up the dignity it has earned.

She mentioned that the living standard of the people is improving, their income is increasing, and poverty rate is declining.

“We want to establish Bangladesh as a developed and prosperous country as dreamt by Father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. We’re working towards that direction,” she said.

The prime minister said the month August comes with pain, grief and sorrow. She lost her parents and most of her family members on August 15, 1975.

“Keeping sorrow, pain and grief in the heart and sacrificing everything of life, I’ve dedicated my life for the wellbeing of the people of Bangladesh and to improve their fate,” she said.

She mentioned that the souls of her parents will be in peace if the people stay in good condition. “Because my father has given everything of his life for the people of this country,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said materialising the dream of her father is her main task.

The gate of the Gono Bhaban opened for visitors at 9:30am when people from all walks of life started coming after their Eid prayers and waited in a long queue to meet the Prime Minister.

On the occasion, the big lawn of Gono Bhaban was tastefully decorated.

At the beginning, senior Awami League leaders and cabinet members greeted the prime minister by presenting her with bouquets.

Freedom fighters, MPs, leaders of political parties, associate bodies of Awami League, various professional and trade bodies as well as a cross section of people, including beggars and the destitute, exchanged Eid greetings with the Prime Minister.

Like previous years, some of the visitors used the opportunity to draw attention of the top executive of the country to their woes and sufferings and sought her intervention and support to resolve those problems.

Later, the prime minister exchanged Eid greetings with Supreme Court judges, senior civil and military officials and envoys of different friendly countries.