"Political leaders are often found travelling with criminals in the same vehicle," he said while talking to journalists at a 'Face-to-Face' programme at the local press club organised by Chittagong Reporters Council.

Referring to the abduction of business magnate Jamal Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury, the foreign minister said: "I'm hopeful he will be released soon. The administration will do its best (to rescue him)."

The minister said Bangladesh would not send troops to Iraq for siding with any party or working for or against any side.

"We can only send troops to help mitigate the sufferings of the people of Iraq," he said.

He said Bangladesh would send five battalions of troops to strife-torn Liberia next month to work with the peacekeeping mission there.

Morshed said: "We have taken the decision in principle to send the troops to Liberia."

"We had earlier sent 5,000 troops to Sierra Leone with the peacekeeping mission that gave us a tremendous opportunity to build up the country's image," he said, adding Sierra Leone would welcome Bangladeshi businessmen.

Referring to Bangladesh's relations with neighbours, he said Dhaka wanted peaceful co-existence with neighbouring India and Myanmar.

On seaport transit facilities for India, he said India as the closest neighbour would get priority for port transit facilities.

"But capability and ability of Bangladesh are the two most important factors to be considered before going for such a decision," he said.

On Indian river interlinking mega-project involving some common rivers, he said Bangladesh had already lodged protest with India.

"It's not time to raise the issue at global forums as Bangladesh is waiting for a reply from New Delhi," he said.

"We want to defuse border tension and resolve bilateral irritants through dialogue. We want peace not through war but through discussion."

Replying to a question he said Bangladesh would not allow its land for operation by any foreign intelligence agency.

Turning to Myanmar refugees, he said 6,000 of the 23,000 refugees had already returned home and the rest would go soon.

"The government of Myanmar assured us of taking some confidence building measures so that the returnees don't trek to Bangladesh in future," he said.

BSS adds: The minister brushed aside an allegation that the recently signed Dhaka-Washington agreement would go against the interest of Bangladesh and affect its sovereignty.

"There arises no question to annul this pact as it is not unilateral, but a reciprocal one," he said.

Bangladeshi citizens will come under the pact and enjoy equal opportunities like the US citizens, he said.

Morshed said 60 to 65 countries including India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka had earlier signed the same agreement with Washington.

"Bangladesh is ready to reconsider the pact if anyone with substantial documents can prove it harmful for the country," he said, adding that no intellectual in other South Asian countries criticized their government for signing the treaty.

Morshed said Bangladesh was following a balanced foreign policy to cope with globalisation.

Referring to the 'look-east diplomacy' of the present four-party alliance government, he said Bangladesh had undertaken a special initiative to improve its relations with the East Asian countries like Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, South Korea, China and Indonesia through increased trade, business and investment.