The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, receives a replica of a boat at a civic reception accorded to her at South Plaza of Sangsad Bhaban Saturday afternoon for her role in winning a maritime boundary dispute with Myanmar. — New Age photo

Reception accorded to PM

The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, on Saturday said that people who grab state power unconstitutionally cannot do welfare for the country adding that none will be allowed to play with the fate of the people.
‘Democracy in Bangladesh has been interrupted time and again… Military dictators grabbed state power with rifles and they did nothing for the betterment
of the country,’ she said at a reception accorded to her on the south plaza of the national assembly complex.
‘There were no instances in the world that an unconstitutional government has worked for the welfare of a country,’ Hasina added.
Samudra Jay Udjapan Jatiya Nagarik Committee, a platform of citizens celebrating the maritime boundary resolution, accorded the reception to Hasina for her contribution to the resolution of the maritime boundary dispute with Myanmar on March 14.
The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea on March 14 delivered its judgement delimiting the maritime boundary between Bangladesh and Myanmar moderately based on the share of the coastline.
Hasina said that only a democratic government could work for the development of the country. ‘We will ensure the people’s democratic and fundamental rights.’
Hasina also recalled democratic movements of the past. ‘We struggled for democracy and democracy was established through our struggle.’
Hasina has urged people’s mandate in the next general elections for Bangladesh to win the maritime boundary case against India in 2014.
She hoped that Bangladesh would also win the case against India. ‘If the people trust and elect us to power, we believe we will win the case against India too.’
Hasina, also the ruling Awami League president, said, ‘The door of opportunity has opened through the victory over Myanmar.’
She said that Bangladesh’s right to resources in the Bay of Bengal had been ensured and the resources would be used for the advancement of the country.
Hasina reached the programme about 5:00pm amid standing ovation. In her speech that continued for 18 minutes beginning at 6:00pm, she talked about her government’s initiative for the resolution of maritime boundary issues with Myanmar.
She said that her government had freed the country of militancy, terrorism and Bangla Bhai and it was working for a poverty- and hunger-free Bangladesh.
Hasina said that some people think that the power is a means of gratification while some others think that this is a means to serve the people. ‘People have given their mandate for us and we are work for their well-being.’
She said that she expected to gain nothing. ‘I am daughter of the father of the nation. I want to sacrifice my life as my father did. I am ready to make any sacrifice for the people. I am not afraid of death. I only want to work for the people.’
The chairman of the citizens’ platform, educationist Zillur Rahman Siddique, presided over the the programme.
The foreign minister, Dipu Moni, National Professor MR Khan, artist Quayyum Chowdhury, Dhaka University vice-chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique and economist Qazi Kholiquzzaman also spoke.
Litterateur Syed Shamsul Huq read out the citation and Zillur Rahman Siddique handed the citation and a memento to Hasina.
The programme began with rendition of the national anthem by Chhayanut artistes.
Singers of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra and Gana Sangeet Samanway Parisahd sang people’s theatre songs. Asaduzzaman Noor and Laila Afroze recited poems.
Lawmaker Mamtaz, Rezwana Chowdhury Banya, Timir Nandi, Fakir Almagir, Shahin Samad, Chandana Majumder, Moloy Kumar Ganguly and Aditi Mohshin sang several patriotic songs.
the Awami Juba League on April 18 also accorded a reception to Hasina in recognition of her contribution to the maritime boundary dispute resolution.
The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea sustained Bangladesh’s claims to a full 200-mile exclusive economic zone in the Bay and to a substantial share of the outer continental shelf beyond 200 miles.
Bangladesh and Myanmar, which had held prolonged negotiations over the dispute since 1974, had failed to reach a settlement.
The two countries, on a mutual consent, invited ITLOS in 2009 to exercise its jurisdiction over the dispute.
Bangladesh had long-standing disputes with India and Myanmar on the issue of ‘starting point’ on how to mark the coastline to draw its maritime boundary with apparently overlapping claims of the three neighbouring countries because of the funnel-like coastline of the Bay.