Sheikh Hasina receives Mother Teresa Lifetime Achievement award

Kolkata, June 25 (UNI) Former Bangladesh Prime Minister and Opposition Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina Wazed was today conferred with the prestigious 'Mother Teresa Lifetime Achievement Award' for her 'unmatched contribution to public life'.

Instituted by the 'Mother Teresa International and Millennium Award Committee,' the award in the form of a citation and a silver trophy, was handed over to her by the Award Committee Chairman Anthony Arun Biswas at a brief function in a city hotel today.

However, the award, which was to be conferred to Sheikh Hasina yesterday, could not be given as she was unable to come to the city because of her urgent pre-occupation in New Delhi.

In a brief interaction with media after receiving the award on behalf of her countrymen, the Bangladeshi Opposition leader expressed serious concern at the recent spurt in terrorist activities in all corners of the globe including India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan.

''Either we all must be fully prepared to face the consequences of this dangerous trend, or make all out attempts to bring an end to this menace for the benefit of posterity,'' the former Bangladeshi Prime Minister said and called for a united effort at different levels.

Before leaving for Dhaka after a three-day tour of India with her 13 member entourage, the Awami League leader calledon former Chief Minister of West Bengal and CPI-M Polit Bureau member Jyoti Basu at his Salt Lake residence to discuss several bilateral issues, including the sharing of Ganga waters. She, however, described her hour-long meeting Mr Basu as a ''courtesy call''.

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