Staff Reporter:
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen yesterday said Bangladesh’s next government needs more inter-national collaboration to realize its goal to make poverty and hunger free nation by 2041.
“In this present world, collaboration, cooperation and partnership (with foreign countries) are essential. We look forward to have more collaboration this year and beyond,” he said.
The minister was speaking at a “meet and greet” event hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) in honor of foreign diplomats in Dhaka at state guesthouse Sugandha in the capital this after-noon.
US Ambassador Peter Haas, Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen, Russian Ambassador Aleksandr Mantytsky, UN Resident Coordinator Gwyn Lewis, and high commissioners and ambassadors from various other countries were present.
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and senior officials of MoFA were also present.
“The 12th Parliamentary Election also marks the continuation of a democratic Bangladesh polity that remains firmly committed to contribute to regional and global peace and security and to eliminating ter-rorism, and countering radicalization and extremism, while championing international development ob-jectives,” read a briefing note which was circulated among the diplomats at the event.
The note said, with the initiation of the new government, Bangladesh would be geared further enhancing cooperation with its neighbors to ensure shared economic prosperity in South Asia through promotion of greater regional security, integration and connectivity.
It said the Sunday’s election was important for maintaining a seamless democratic transition process in the country as per the Constitution.
“This will further contribute to our efforts towards achieving the global threshold in democratic practic-es. Alongside our economic strides, Bangladesh will also succeed in building a democratic society which our future generations will take pride in,” said the note.
At the national level, it said, the election result will usher in a fresh opportunity to infuse further dyna-mism into the impressive socio-economic performance sustained by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government during its past three tenures.
Political stability under democratic rule has contributed a lot to these achievements, it added.
Later talking with the reporters, the foreign minister said, they are very happy that people gave their verdict through the 12th national election.
“We are very happy that we did able to hold a free, fair, acceptable and nonviolent election, … people gave their verdict … that’s enough .. we don’t need anymore,” he said.
Replying to a query regarding the US statement on Bangladesh’s election, the foreign minister said the government is not worried about that as many other countries termed the election as “free, fair, transpar-ent, credible and nonviolent.”
