Bangladesh expects more robust support from US after polls

FE Team | Published: December 23, 2008 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

Bangladesh greatly values the support of the United States in her transition to democracy and expects more US support once the democratically elected government takes office next month, reports BSS.
This was stated by Bangladesh Ambassador to United States M Humayun Kabir while he was speaking at a gathering at the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC on December 20, on the occasion of the Victory Day, according to a message received here Monday.
Ambassador Kabir underscored the importance of the forthcoming elections in Bangladesh in the context of transformed political landscape and reforms undertaken to strengthen the democratic infrastructure and practices.
He highlighted the aspiration of the people to exercise their democratic rights with a view to ensuring good governance and the continued struggle of Bangladesh to overcome the challenges of poverty, illiteracy and threat of extremism.
Kabir also said that beyond reinforcing the Bangladesh-US bilateral relations, Bangladesh is ready to work with the new US administration on fighting global poverty, meeting challenges of globalisation and rebuilding the broken societies through peace keeping and peace building under the auspices of the United Nations.
Ambassador Kabir paid rich tribute to the valiant freedom fighters and the martyrs during the War of Liberation. He also expressed his gratitude to the international friends who stood by the Bangladeshis and made sacrifices alongside the people of Bangladesh during the War of Liberation in 1971.
Musharraf Hussain, president of Bangladesh Association of America, Dr Sultan Ahmed, Dr Mozharul Hoque, former vice president of the World Bank Praful Patel, son of then US Consul General in Dhaka, Peter Blood and former US ambassador to Bangladesh Howard Schaffer also spoke on the occasion, among others.
Musharraf Hussain demanded trial of war criminals of 1971.
Dr Sultan Ahmed and Dr Mozharul Hoque recalled the contribution of Bangladeshi community in the US during the Liberation War. Praful Patel highlighted the huge potential of Bangladesh commenting that Bangladesh's economy was perhaps one of the best managed economies in South Asia.