Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday said her party – Bangladesh Awami League (AL) is the strongest, largest and the most credible political party in the country now.

“Today Awami League is the strongest and biggest organisation in Bangladesh. It's a reality. The most acceptable party among the people is the Awami League,” she said.

The AL president, Sheikh Hasina, made the remarks when her party leaders and activists came to Ganabhaban to greet her on her historic Homecoming Day.

Recalling her election as the President of Bangladesh Awami League in her absence before her return to home on May 17, 1981, the PM said she had no experience to lead a big party like AL at that time. It was definitely a big responsibility for her to lead AL, she added.

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She said the party has overcome conspiracies on many occasions. "Conspiracies are hatched every time and we overcome them. We have to keep it up,” she added.

Recollecting the day she had returned home ending six years of forced exile, the AL president said she had been welcomed by hundreds of thousands of people defying the storm and rain on that day.

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She said when she returned to Bangladesh in 1981, the country was then run by war criminals and the killers of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along with most of his family members.

The prime minister said she returned to the country despite knowing she might have been killed as she had trust in the countrymen and leaders and activists of Awami League

• country despite knowing she might have been killed as she had trust in the countrymen and leaders and activists of Awami League.

“I’d returned home with a conviction as the desire with which the Father of the Nation made the country independent was not fulfilled. Rather the condition of the people deteriorated further,” she said.

She said now her government has been able to implement at least to some extent the desire and the spirit with which Bangabandhu made the country independent.

“All my strength and courage I’ve got from my parents,” said Hasina.

Talking about AL’s role in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, she said, “We’ve been able to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic as we have a well-organised political party and its associate bodies.”

She said no other political party except the Awami League stood beside the people during the period of Covid-19 pandemic and many AL leaders and workers sacrificed their lives in doing so.

"No other organisation except Awami League does make this sacrifice for the people of Bangladesh," said Sheikh Hasina, who has been steering the Awami League since 1981.
The PM said her government has been able to change the country. “But we’ve to progress further in future,” she added.

Earlier in the morning, AL leaders and activists led by its General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader greeted their party chief with flowers at Ganabhaban, marking her 44th homecoming Day.

Leaders and activists of the associate and friendly bodies of the Awami League were also present at that time.