Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday asked Bangladeshi ambassadors stationed in African countries to enhance bilateral trade, business and investments with those nations, reports BSS.
“Attach importance on economic diplomacy as economy is also important alongside politics. You have to find out potentials regarding trade, business and investment in the respective countries you are working for," she told as the chief guest at the "Bangladesh Envoys Conference in Africa" at the Place of Residence, the Hotel Radission Blu Sandton in Johannesburg.
The prime minister also asked the Bangladeshi envoys to work for bringing more Bangladeshi skilled manpower to African countries, taking measures to increase remittances and giving special care of the Bangladeshi peacekeepers working in the United Nations (UN) missions in the African countries as they have brightened Bangladesh’s image globally.
She directed the envoys to take required measures to make sure so that Bangladesh can ahead march on the world stage keeping its head high.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen and Prime Minister's Principal Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah were present on the dais, while Senior Secretary of Foreign Affairs Masud Bin Momen moderated the conference.
Bangladesh High Commissioner in South Africa Noor-E-Helal Saifur Rahman, Ambassador to Rabat, Morocco, Mohammad Shahadat Hossain, Ambassador to Cairo, Egypt, Md. Monirul Islam, High Commissioner to Port Louis, Mauritius, Rezina Ahmed, High Commissioner to Abuja, Nigeria, Masudur Rahman, Ambassador to Algiers Muhammad Zulqar Nain, High Commissioner to Nairobi, Kenya, Tareque Muhammad, Ambassador to Tripoli, Libya, Major General Abul Hasnat Mohammad Khairul Bashar, and Ambassador to Khartoum, Sudan, Tareq Ahmed, were present in the conference.
Sheikh Hasina mentioned that her government wants to send more skilled manpower to African countries. "We have to give more focus on this issue," she added.
The prime minister asked the Bangladeshi envoys to remain alert so that no unskilled manpower with fake certificates can enter their respective countries side by side with taking punitive actions to this end.
"One who is not a physician, engineer, agriculturalist and ICT expert goes abroad with fake certificates and falls in trouble and thus they are not only causing harm to them, but also the image of the country. And for them, skilled manpower cannot get chance to go abroad," she said.
She also called for sharing experiences in different fields with one another for mutual benefits.
The prime minister asked the envoys to take care of the Bangladeshi peacekeepers working in UN missions in different African countries with due honour and have brightened the country's image.
"We have to take care of the Bangladeshi peacekeepers as they show rare human qualities while working in various UN peacekeeping missions, for which they are loved by the locals," she said.
Sheikh Hasina, also President of the Awami League, said her government has elevated Bangladesh to a dignified position by transforming it into a developing country by tackling all natural and manmade disasters.
To this end, she recalled the BNP-Jamaat clique's arson attacks on passenger buses, launches, trains, CNG-rung auto-rickshaws and thus burnt people to death from 2013-15 in the name of so called movements.
"They (BNP-Jamaat) wanted to disrupt the democratic process through such mayhem," she added.
Despite the fact, Bangladesh is progressing ahead with indomitable paces and remarkable success has been possible due to maintaining continued democratic process and stability since the Awami League assumed office in 2009 to till the date.
The premier also gave credit to specific plans and its proper implementations for the massive development for which Bangladesh is now considered as the model of development.
"Bangladesh witnesses development, whenever, Awami League comes to power," she said.
Bangladesh, she said, didn't witness any development in 29 years when the military dictators or their cohorts were in power.
The prime minister reiterated her call upon the countrymen to be alert against any move to hinder democracy, saying: "We want the country's democratic process to be continued and none can hamper it."