Always stand beside people, PM to army

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday directed members of Bangladesh Army to always stand beside people by keeping competent and patriotic officers in its leadership.

"The army will have to remain beside people always. So, the leadership will have to be bestowed upon qualified, competent and patriotic officers," she said while addressing the inaugural function of the Army Selection Board, 2019 at Dhaka Cantonment.
PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the function.

The Prime Minister hoped that the selection board will recommend the army officials for promotion considering the qualities like patriotism, belief in the spirit of the Liberation War, leadership quality, professional efficiency, discipline, honesty and loyalty.

She said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman formulated the Defence Policy 1974. Following the policy, her government formulated the Forces Goal 2030 to build a strong-armed force for the country.

Sheikh Hasina, the eldest daughter of Bangabandhu, said her government will complete the unaccomplished works of the Father of the Nation.

She said the government has relentlessly been working to turn the country into a 'Sonar Bangla' as dreamt by the Father of Nation by making Bangladesh as a hunger- and poverty-free country where no one will remain hungry.

On her arrival at the venue, Chief of Army Staff General Aziz Ahmed received the Prime Minister.

PM's Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman, Defence Secretary Akhter Hussain Bhuiya and Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division Lt Gen Md Mahfuzur Rahman, among others, were present.