Dhaka committed to secularism
Bangladesh is committed to secularism and liberal forces are dominating the country now, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told Gulf News in an exclusive interview yesterday in Abu Dhabi.
“Since assuming power in 2009, my government initiated a 'zero tolerance stand' against religious extremists and terrorists in the country and vowed to eliminate them totally. In last five and a half years, we've achieved significant success in this regard,” she added.
The army, police and paramilitary forces have done very well in containing extremism, mentioned the PM. She claimed Bangladesh is now almost free of terrorism.
Hasina arrived in Abu Dhabi in the morning on an official visit to the UAE. She will meet several senior officials during her three-day visit.
The PM and her delegation were welcomed on arrival by Mariam Bint Mohammad Khalfan Al Roumi, minister of social affairs, Saeed Bin Hajar Al Shehi, the UAE ambassador to Bangladesh and other officials.
About her rival political party Jamaat-e-Islami, which is accused of holding an extremist religious ideology in the subcontinent, Hasina said the party has not been able to secure a mentionable political space in the subcontinent in last sixty years or so.
“I don't think they will ever be able to set their feet strongly here and become a security threat at all. If the leaders of South Asian countries remain united in their core objectives -- eradicate poverty, provide food, shelter, health care, sanitation, education, and empowerment of the people, no internal and external forces can harm us,” she noted.
On Pakistan's battle against Taliban and other extremist forces, Hasina said: “I don't think the internal issues of Pakistan will have any bearing on the political situation of Bangladesh.”
Referring to reports of young men from the Indian subcontinent joining Daesh (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria, she said she was proud to say she had not heard of anyone from Bangladesh joining Daesh. “[Therefore] we don't consider them a security threat for Bangladesh.”
“I don't think Daesh is a major threat to anyone; even countries of the Middle East have enough resources to combat it. It's a matter of time when this will be over. Our country is united in supporting Arab countries in combating these forces as and when needed,” added the PM.
Bangladesh believes in territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Iraq and Syria and wants to see a peaceful solution in those countries. Bangladesh would only be engaged in Syria and Iraq crisis in United Nation's humanitarian assistance programmes, she mentioned.
WARM RECEPTION
UNB reports: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was given a warm reception as she arrived in Abu Dhabi yesterday on a visit aiming to strengthen bilateral relations with the oil-rich Gulf nation.
A VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the PM and her entourage reached Abu Dhabi International Airport around 11:30am (UAE time).
From there, Hasina in a motorcade was taken to Hotel St Regis where she will be staying during her tour.
Earlier, the Biman flight left Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 8:30am. Ministers, high civil and military officials saw the PM off at the airport.
During the tour, she will have meetings with UAE Mother of the Nation Sheikh Fatima, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi today. She will also attend a community reception there.
Tomorrow, she will fly to Dubai to hold a meeting with Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and PM of the UAE and ruler of Dubai Sheikh.
After the meeting, she will fly to Ras al-Khaimah (RAK) for holding another meeting with its ruler Sheikh Saud Bin Aaqr Al Qasimi. Before that, she will attend a luncheon to be hosted by the RAK ruler.
From there, Hasina will again fly to Dubai to catch the homebound VVIP flight of Biman around 4:45 pm (local time). She is expected to reach Dhaka around 11:30pm (local time).
According to foreign ministry sources, over half a dozen agreements and memorandums of understanding (MOUs) on trade, manpower and investment are expected to be signed during the visit.
Sources in the power, energy and mineral resources ministry said Bangladesh is likely seek UAE's cooperation in two projects in the power and energy sector -- coal-based power development and setting up a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal with re-gasification facilities.
The manpower export to the UAE has slowed down since the UAE government put restrictions on manpower import from Bangladesh in late 2012.
Bangladesh exported goods worth $245 million in 2013-2014 to the UAE against its import of $843 million. The RMG constituted around 78 percent of Bangladesh's exports to the UAE.
The UAE is currently the fifth largest investor in Bangladesh with a total investment of $2.5 billion in telecommunications, banking, ceramic, chemicals and textiles sectors, according to the Board of Investment.
PM VISITS MOSQUE
Hours after her arrival in Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Hasina yesterday visited Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, reports UNB.
The PM offered Asr prayers at the mosque, went round it and signed the visitors' book.
Briefing reporters, AKM Shameem, PM's press secretary, said the premier also offered fateha at the mazar of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Father of the UAE and founder of the mosque.
Later, the mosque authorities presented her with a souvenir.
Comments