The ruling Awami League President and Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the 2-day long National Council of the party today.

This is the 21st National Council of the Awami League. She hoisted the national flag and released pigeons and balloons to mark the occasion.

Speaking at the inaugural function in Dhaka, Sheikh Hasina pledged to build a hunger and poverty-free Sonar Bangla as dreamt by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The inauguration took place at the Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka where Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had given his famous 7th March address in 1971.

This is also the same venue where more than 90 thousand troops of Pakistan army surrendered before the Indian Army and Mukti Bahini, the liberation force of Bangladesh after being defeated on December 16, 1971.

Thousands of Awami League workers from across the country are participating in the National Council of the party. Leaders of various other political and socio-cultural organizations, foreign diplomats and other dignitaries were present on the occasion of the inauguration today.