Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday announced that March 2020 to March 2021 would be observed as "Mujib Borsho" across the country to mark the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The year-long programmes will be observed with the participation of mass people at the government and party levels, reports UNB and BSS.

Hasina, also the Awami League president, made the announcement at a joint meeting of the AL Central Working Committee and advisory council at its central office on Bangabandhu Avenue.

After quite a few years, the AL held such a meeting at its headquarters in a new building inaugurated on June 23.

"Elaborate programmes will be taken to celebrate the birth centenary of the great leader as my government and party want so,” the PM said, adding that Mujib Borsho", to be celebrated from March 2020 to March 2021, would be followed by the golden jubilee celebration of the country's independence in 2021.

The premier said she already directed the cabinet secretary to take necessary measures to draw up programmes on government initiatives to this end.

The AL leaders and workers wanted to pay the debt of the great leader through bringing smile to the faces of the poor and distressed people for whom he had sacrificed his life, Hasina added.

A number of books on the life and works of Bangabandhu would be published which would be very useful for knowing the country’s history and Bangabandhu's struggle for the emancipation of the Bangalee nation, the PM said. "We want to celebrate the birth centenary in a massive way, involving children, youths and elderly people."

The AL chief said her party implemented massive development programmes after assuming office in 1996 and again in 2009, and it has been able to ensure food security, healthcare, education and other basic needs of people.

"Bangladesh is now moving forward on the highway of development. We want to make our country self-reliant in food and fulfil the basic needs of the people. We also want to build a modern and knowledgeable nation, illuminate every house with the power of education."

Hasina regretted that a section of her political opponents, who never wanted the country to be free from poverty and hunger, had termed Bangladesh's attaining the eligibility for graduation to a developing country “ruination".

She pledged to continue the trend of development to establish Bangladesh as a country free from poverty and hunger by 2021 and a developed one by 2041.

Sources in the meeting said the AL decided to form a high-powered committee to celebrate “Mujib Borsho”, with the party chief and general secretary as the head and member secretary of the committee.

During the discussion on forming the committee, AL central committee member Mukul Bose proposed not to pick any leader who joined the AL from Communist Party.

AL presidium member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim proposed forming a commission to identify those who created the ground for the killing Bangabandhu.