Disputes among neighbours should be solved thru’ talks: PM

Mentioning that Bangladesh believes in maintaining good relations with neighbouring countries, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said there may exist disputes among neighbours but those need to be resolved through discussions.

"Problems may be there among neighbours but those should be solved through talks...friendship and cooperation should continue," she said.

The prime minister said this when Pakistani High Commissioner in Dhaka Rafiuzzaman Siddiqui paid a courtesy call on her at her office in Dhaka this morning.

After the meeting, PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters.

The prime minister said Bangladesh has solved land boundary and maritime disputes with India peacefully. "Indian parliament unanimously ratified the Land Boundary Bill unanimously," she said, adding the peaceful solution to the dispute has set an example in the world.

Hasina also mentioned resolving maritime dispute with Myanmar the same way. "We've also solved insurgency problem in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) and brought back 62,000 refugees from India by signing the peace treaty."

Terming poverty the main enemy of this region, she put emphasis on working together by all countries of the region to root out poverty.

The premier elaborated her government's achievements in various sectors that took place in the last eight and a half years. "After assuming office, we've set goals to ensure food security, education and healthcare for people."

She also mentioned that the government implemented many programmes in these sectors and people are now getting the benefits.

Besides, Hasina said, there are necessary policies of Awami League, including the economic one, to ensure socioeconomic development of the country.

PM Hasina said the past BNP-Jamaat government stopped many people's welfare-oriented programmes like community clinics and 'ekti bari ekti khamar project' out of political vengeance.

She also referred to the August 21 grenade attack on her in 2004 and said the militants carried out synchronised bomb blasts at 500 places in 63 districts out of 64 in 2005.

While talking about the menace of terrorism, she said the arms sellers are ultimately being benefitted from it.

Highly lauding the development activities in Bangladesh, the Pakistani High Commissioner said Bangladesh now totally has changed with rapid development.

Rafiuzzaman Siddiqui said the Pakistani people highly appreciated the way Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been containing terrorism and militancy.

Referring to the terrorist attack at Holey Artisan Café in Gulshan last year, the Pakistan envoy said such incident did not recur in Bangladesh since PM Hasina has been dealing with terrorism and militancy with iron hands.

Rafiuzzaman said both Bangladesh and Pakistan share many commonalities and he would continue to work for the improvement of the relations between the two countries.

PM's Principal Secretary Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, PMO Senior Secretary Suraiya Begum and PM's Military Secretary Major General Mia Mohammad Zainul Abedin were present.