Hasina, Obama institutionalised Dhaka-Washington ties, says Ambassador Ziauddin

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the US President Barack Obama have “institutionalised” Dhaka-Washington ties, Bangladesh’s Ambassador to the US Mohammad Ziauddin has said.

He said because of them it was possible to hold partnership, security and military and trade and investment dialogues on regular basis for “mutual benefit” of the countries.

The Ambassador was delivering a lecture on “Bangladesh’s Policy Priorities & Its Relationships with the United States and Regional Power” at John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University on Tuesday.

Cathryn Cluver, executive director of the Future of Diplomacy Project at Kennedy School of Government, conducted the lecture, the embassy said.

The ambassador said Prime Minister Hasina had taken “personal interest” to work with President Obama in ‘Equal Futures Partnership Initiative’ pledging a world with equal opportunities for women in all spheres of human endeavours.

“Collaboration is also very strong in counter-terrorism. Both countries condemn mindless violence and extremism… Both believe violence has no space in democracy,” he said.

He said both leaders consider each other as “important partners” in democratic governance, integration with global economy, disaster management, climate change adaptation, food security, human rights, religious freedom and global peacekeeping.

Bangladesh also succeeded in maintaining equal robust relationship with China, India, Japan, Russia and the EU, he said.

“This was possible because all of these big powers respect Bangladesh’s stance for ‘Friendship with all and malice towards none’ and consider Bangladesh to be a friend that needs them all to progress and prosper”.

He said the current government also believes that cooperation with neighbours was “imperative” for optimum utilisation of resources and also development, peace and stability of the region.

“Bangladesh, under Sheikh Hasina, considers India as our true friend. And the relation is now at its best,” he said.

Students and fellows of Harvard Kennedy School of Government attended the lecture.

The Ambassador also replied to their queries, according to the embassy.