Online Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said the country’s army has earned public trust and confidence by standing beside the people.

“Our army now stands beside the people and has gained public trust and confidence,” she said.

The prime minister made these remarks while addressing a darbar at Army Central Auditorium in Dhaka cantonment.

Earlier, the premier opened the newly constructed Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) Bhaban and Sena Prangan (Army Central Auditorium) Bhaban in Dhaka Cantonment.

The PM said the common people had lost their trust and confidence in the army after August, 1975. She mentioned this in reference to the role of a few disgruntled army men in the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along with most members of his family on August 15, 1975.

She said since coming to power for the first time in 1996 she has taken steps to restore public trust and confidence in the army.

“I endeavored in creating trust and confidence among the people regarding our army, which is very essential for an army to protect the independence and sovereignty (of their own country),” she added.

If any adverse situation emerges, the army now stands by the people, said Hasina.

She said her government formulated the Forces Goal-2030 in line with the Defence Policy 1974 framed by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Now the AL government has been implementing programmes designed to build the country’s armed forces as modern and equipped with the latest knowledge, she added.

“Our goal is that our armed forces would be equipped with modern technological knowledge. We’ve been working accordingly,” she stated.

The PM said the Bangladesh armed forces are widely acclaimed in the world for their outstanding contribution to the United Nations Peacekeeping missions. Now her government’s goal is to brighten the image of the armed forces further, she said.

The prime minister planted a sapling (Chatiyan) on the premises of Army Central Auditorium.