Armed forces must move keeping in view govt stance against terrorism: PM

Reiterating Bangladesh's firm stance against all sorts of terrorism, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said the country's armed forces must move forward imbued with the same ideology.

"We are committed to international peace and security. Our standpoint against all kinds of terrorism is very clear. Our armed forces must move forward imbued with the same ideology," she said.

The premier said this while addressing the graduation ceremony of the "DSCSC 2014-2015 Course" of the Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC) at the DSCSC Mirpur Hall in the Mirpur Cantonment in Dhaka this morning.

DSCSC Commandant Major General Sajjadul Haque delivered the welcome address.

Ministers, parliament members, advisers to the prime minister, the leader of the opposition in parliament, the chiefs of three services, diplomats and high civil and military officials were present on the occasion.

Terming again the armed forces the symbol of the country's independence and sovereignty, Hasina said the government will do whatever necessary for the development and welfare of the armed forces.

"During our immediate past tenure, we implemented various development programmes under the Forces Goal 2030. We continued the development process and we are committed to doing whatever necessary for the development and welfare of the armed forces," she said.

During her first tenure in office, she said, she took initiatives to expand the armed forces and established a number of units following the Defence Policy 1974 framed by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Hasina said Bangladesh's resources are limited, but its intention is to build up a strong, efficient and modern armed force within the available resources. "We need to put emphasis on advanced training and exercise to attain our aim," she said.

The premier expressed her hope that the every institution of the country would be developed and modernised to keep pace with the world. "We are hopeful that we would be able to achieve the goal," she said.

The prime minister said the main objective of her government is to boost up the living standard of the common people through establishing good governance at every sphere of the national life.

Hasina said Bangladesh believes in the peaceful resolution of all bilateral, regional and international disputes in all corners of the globe. "The basic principle of our foreign policy is: 'Friendship with all and malice towards none on the basis of equality," she said.

In the course, a total of 214 officers--120 from Bangladesh Army, 23 from Bangladesh Navy, 19 from Bangladesh Air Force, and 52 overseas officers from China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Liberia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Turkey, the USA and Zambia--were successfully graduated from the DSCSC.