Sheikh Hasina Wajed urges neighbours to join terror fight

Kolkata: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed on Saturday urged India and other neighbouring countries for cooperation to protect the young generation from the clutches of terrorism in the South East Asia and for development of the sub-continent. She also vowed to work together with India.

Upholding communal harmony and equal rights Ms Hasina underlined that Bangladesh would follow the path of secularism higlighted by famous poet Kazi Nazrul Islam in his poetry. She was delivering her address after she was conferred honorary D.Lit by Kazi Nazrul University (KNU) during its annual convocation at Asansol in Burdwan West on the last day of her two-day visit to India.

Except West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee neither West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee nor West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi, who were in the list of the invitees, was present at the programme however. Noting their absence Ms Hasina informed that she saw Mr Tripathi had not been keeping well since Friday.

She however, did not forget to express her gratitude to him and the chief minister also for setting up the university after the name of the national poet of Bangladesh and awarding her the honorary degree from the same academic institution on the occasion of his 119th birth anniversary.

The Bangladesh PM said, “We always want the people of this sub-continent to lead a good life. We want our young generation to remain safe from violence, killings, terrorism, extremism and drugs in the world. We want them to build their life in a positive, meaningful and progressive way. This is our prayer. I appeal for cooperation from our neighbouring countries in this context.”

Reiterating her call for return of around 11 lakhs of Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh to Myanmar she elaborated, “We do not think about our country: Bangladesh only while planning development. We think of this sub continent. We want to make this sub-continent free of poverty and hunger and turn it into a developed and rich one. We had many problems with our neighbours. We have resolved many of them and have been sorting out others.”

The Bangladesh PM added, “But instead of thinking about the problems only we have to focus our thinking on how to undertake the welfare of human beings and create a suitable environment for the people to live in this sub continent. Today bangladesh is marching ahead. Our country has grown to become a developing nation from less-developed nation left by the Father of our Nation: Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahaman.”

Comparing the two countries with each other Ms Hasina pointed out that Bangladesh was not lucky inititally like India where the rule of democracy has been prevailing always. She complained that democracy faced crisis in Bangladesh during the rule of military-junta which had pushed back the country for nearly 21 years altogether in its history.

She mentioned, “We want our country to progress despite having limited resources. We have succeeded to reduce poverty level while undertaking massive development works to change the fortune of the people. At present our literacy rate has crossed 72 per cent. We are neighbours. And being neighbours our aim is to continue to work together.”

Referring to the passing out students of KNU the Bangladesh PM told them, “I wish you will place humanity above all while making progress in your careers. Nazrul was inspired by secular thoughts. We are building Bangladesh in line of his thoughts. Secularism is intertwined of our idealism and policy where everyone enjoys equal rights irrespective of religion, cast and creed. I hope you will work in that direction in your life also.”