Dhaka, March 19 (BDNEWS) – Newly appointed Foreign Secretary Hemayet Uddin Saturday said Bangladesh has a "good relation" with neighbouring India and he wants to improve it further.
In his maiden press briefing at the Foreign Ministry in the afternoon, he said Bangladesh believes in a "strong relation" with its neighbours and build up a "more stronger relation."
Hemayet Uddin took over as Foreign Secretary on Thursday.
Replying to a question on SAARC summit, he said the SAARC chair Pakistan is consulting with the member countries for a suitable date and "Bangladesh is waiting to hear from the chair."
Asked about US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's reported comment that the USA and India will jointly work about terrorism in Bangladesh, the FS said "it was speculation by newspapers and I will not make any comment on speculation."
When asked about press report that the government may request to withdraw two envoys from the country, the foreign secretary said he has "no knowledge" about the matter.
In this regard, when reporters asked about Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's valedictory speech at the Parliament that Bangladesh will not run with any dictation from abroad and also remarks of the Finance Minister M Saifur Rahman, the FS said, "What the Prime Minister has said is conclusive."
On success of the economic diplomacy pursued by the government since the four-party alliance government came to power, the foreign secretary said Bangladesh has made significant successes with its economic diplomacy.
BDNEWS/1900 hrs
