Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday urged the children to grow as smart citizens following the ideals of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

"The Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib is no longer with us, but he left his ideals for us to follow," she told a National Children's Day programme.

The premier said the country's children must grow up with human virtues and groom themselves smartly through sports and physical exercises.

"Every child will have to engage in sports and physical exercises, remain neat and clean, obey teachers and guardians, follow these rules, and must have human virtues," she said.

The PM was addressing a discussion and cultural programme at Tungipara in Gopalganj, marking the 103rd birth anniversary of Father of Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and National Children's Day-2023.

The Women and Children Affairs Ministry arranged the programme under the management of the Gopalganj district administration. This year the theme of the day is "Smart Bangladesher Swapne Bangabandhur Janmadin, Shishuder Chokh Somridhir Swapne Rangin (the birthday of Bangabandhu in the dream for Smart Bangladesh, Children need to be engrossed with a dream for prosperity)."

The PM asked the children to be sympathetic towards people with special needs or differently able persons.

Noting the children as the future of the nation, she said her government's goal is to develop them as the abled citizens of the country.

Quoting from a poem by poet Sukanta Bhattacharya she said her government will build a Bangladesh where no child will go hungry and all will have education and housing in a country suitable for their living.

The PM thanked the Women and Children Affairs Ministry for picking this year's theme, adding that her government wants to transform the country into a smart Bangladesh by 2041.

"Today's children will be the smart community in future who will build Bangladesh properly," she said.

State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Fazilatun Nessa Indira spoke on the occasion, while Women and Children Affairs Secretary Md. Hasanuzzaman Kallol delivered the welcome speech at the function, presided over by a child Sniha Islam.

Dhaka Divisional Commissioner Md. Khalilur Rahman and Gopalganj Deputy Commissioner Kazi Mahbubul Alam were on the stage.

Swapnil Biswas, on behalf of the children also spoke at the event, jointly moderated by two children Rubaba Toha Jaman and A.L. Sharfuddin.

A documentary titled 'Bangabandhu and Children Rights' was screened.

At the event, the premier unveiled the cover of an illustrated book titled "Shishuder Sheikh Mujib," which was composed by the Director General of Special Security Force (SSF) Major General Md. Majibur Rahman.

Cabinet members, members of parliament, political leaders and high officials were present in the programme.

The district administration arranged a competition among the children under several categories – painting, quiz on Bangabandhu's books 'The Unfinished Memoirs' and 'the Prison Diaries,' as well as recitation on Bagabandhu's historic 7th march speech on the occasion of the Children Day-2023.

Thirty winners of the competition received crests from the premier.

Besides, 100 insolvent students received Tk 2,500 as a financial donation on the occasion of the Bangabandhu's birthday and Children's Day.