Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has greeted the countrymen vowing to build poverty-hunger free Smart and Sonar Bangladesh marking the 53rd Independence and National Day, reports BSS.

"Bangladesh is marching ahead on the highway of development. Let us build poverty and hunger free "Sonar Bangladesh" being inspired by the Father of the Nation's ideal. Bangladesh will be a smart country," she said in an Independence Day message.

In the 51-second message of greetings, the premier said: "Assalamualaikum, I am extending my heartiest greetings to all Bangladeshi citizens staying at home and abroad marking the Independence Day."

She recalled with due honour all the martyrs including the great Liberation War ones on the occasion of the Independence Day.

She said, "We achieved the victory through a 23-year political struggle and a Liberation War of nine months and got an independent and sovereign country under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman."

The premier concluded the message saying: "Stay well, stay healthy".

The audio-visual message was sent to each of the mobile phone users of the country and aired on different media including online platforms.