Hasina spoke at a reception accorded to her by Bangladesh Embassy in Spain at Hotel Villa Magna on Sunday evening local time. Expatriate Bangladeshis, including Awami League leaders and workers living in Spain and other European countries, joined the reception.
“We’ve launched the drive against terrorism, militancy, drugs and corruption and the drive will continue to keep up the country’s development pace.”
Urging the party leaders and activists to follow the right path of life, the prime minister said, “It is better to have just rice with salt in an honest way than eating ‘biriyani’ with dishonest income. We learned it from the Father of the Nation.”
Referring to the arrested people, she said a group of people wants to live a life in luxury by indulging in bribery and corruption.
“These social ills will have to be eliminated,” she said.
Due to the misdeeds of those who ruled the country after the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975, people have lost moral values, Hasina said.
Now Bangladesh is progressing on all fronts, she said. “The people of other countries now respect Bangladesh when they hear its name. But they had previously viewed Bangladesh as a country of flood, drought, famine and corruption,” she said.
Many foreigners want to know the 'magic' behind Bangladesh's rise. “It’s not magic. I love the country and love the people. I learned it from my father.”
Describing herself as a “full-time worker” for the people of Bangladesh, Hasina said, “I’m working ceaselessly so that the people of both urban and rural areas get good results of our work.”
The prime minister also highlighted the contribution of expatriates to the development of the country.
She is now in Madrid on a three-day visit to attend the 25th annual United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, more commonly known as COP25.
Hasina will return home on Wednesday.