Effective foreign policy needed to emerge as powerful nation
Sunday, 26 July 2009
An effective foreign policy was urgently needed for Bangladesh to emerge as an economically and politically strong nation, speakers told a roundtable in the city Saturday, reports UNB.
"We must emerge as a strong country both economically and politically, or else, our independence and sovereignty can't be protected," said Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, Adviser to BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia on Foreign Affairs.
Criticising the government's foreign policy, the former foreign secretary said Bangladesh needed an independent foreign policy to protect its interests.
"We're seeing black clouds on our own sky," he told the roundtable titled 'Government's Foreign Policy: Country's Interest at Stake'.
Bangladesh Policy Forum organised the roundtable at the Jatiya Press Club with Dr Razia Sultana in the chair. It was addressed, among others, by former secretary Asaf-ud Doula and former DG of BDR Maj Gen (retd) Fazlur Rahman.
Shamsher alleged that Indian agents were already active in Bangladesh to gain their own interests. "India doesn't need to enter Bangladesh, their agents are already there to serve their purpose," he said.
He said President Zia's SAARC was a rare example of Bangladesh's independent foreign policy.
Asaf-ud Doula said the country's position should be strengthened first to have an effective and stronger foreign policy. "We've no alternative to getting united. Only unity can make us a powerful nation," he said.
He said no one could take strong decisions in favour of Bangladesh on bilateral issues simply because of weakness of the previous government.
Criticising the Indian envoy's remarks, he said if Bangladeshis queuing up in front of the Indian High Commission are brokers and touts, Pinak was also one of them as his father was born in Bikrampur.
Earlier, presenting a paper at the roundtable, Dr Sheikh Toufique M Haque said the country's current foreign policy only undermined national interests.
He said the government should involve people with the defence sector and urged the government to ensure basic arms training for each youth above the age of 15.
"We must emerge as a strong country both economically and politically, or else, our independence and sovereignty can't be protected," said Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, Adviser to BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia on Foreign Affairs.
Criticising the government's foreign policy, the former foreign secretary said Bangladesh needed an independent foreign policy to protect its interests.
"We're seeing black clouds on our own sky," he told the roundtable titled 'Government's Foreign Policy: Country's Interest at Stake'.
Bangladesh Policy Forum organised the roundtable at the Jatiya Press Club with Dr Razia Sultana in the chair. It was addressed, among others, by former secretary Asaf-ud Doula and former DG of BDR Maj Gen (retd) Fazlur Rahman.
Shamsher alleged that Indian agents were already active in Bangladesh to gain their own interests. "India doesn't need to enter Bangladesh, their agents are already there to serve their purpose," he said.
He said President Zia's SAARC was a rare example of Bangladesh's independent foreign policy.
Asaf-ud Doula said the country's position should be strengthened first to have an effective and stronger foreign policy. "We've no alternative to getting united. Only unity can make us a powerful nation," he said.
He said no one could take strong decisions in favour of Bangladesh on bilateral issues simply because of weakness of the previous government.
Criticising the Indian envoy's remarks, he said if Bangladeshis queuing up in front of the Indian High Commission are brokers and touts, Pinak was also one of them as his father was born in Bikrampur.
Earlier, presenting a paper at the roundtable, Dr Sheikh Toufique M Haque said the country's current foreign policy only undermined national interests.
He said the government should involve people with the defence sector and urged the government to ensure basic arms training for each youth above the age of 15.