Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said Bangladesh has been maintaining a friendly relationship equally with all for the sake of uplifting the socio-economic condition of the people.
“We’ve a very good relationship with every country. Since we’re following the policy the Father of the Nation had given us, we’re maintaining a friendly relation equally with all. Because, our goal is to uplift the socio-economic condition of our country’s people,” she said.
The premier was addressing the Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Air Force Selection Board-2023 at the Secretariat of Navy Chief here in the city.
Hasina said her government has successfully been improving the socio-economic condition of the country’s people.
She also extended her sincere thanks to the armed forces and all others concerned for their cooperation with the government’s goal to improve the life of the people.
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“We’ll not engage in a war with anyone. We’ll maintain a friendly relation with all,” she said, adding that her government has successfully been able to maintain such a relation as well.
The PM said Bangladesh has been moving forward following the ‘Friendship to All Malice towards None’ policy, which was incorporated by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the Foreign Policy.
“We don’t want war with anyone. We want to live in peace. But we’ll have to have all sorts of preparations to safeguard our independence and sovereignty,” she said, stressing the need for modernizing the country’s armed forces.
Promote patriotic, competent officers in Navy and Air Force: PM to selection board
The premier praised the tabulated record and comparative evaluation method followed in case of promotion of Navy and Air Force officers, describing it as a modern and logic-based system.
She asked the selection board to carry out a prudent and neutral assessment to pick the officers who have high morality, morale, knowledge on practical aspects, patriotism, spirit of liberation war, sense of responsibility and instant decision-making power and prudence for the promotion in the two forces.
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"You should choose the officers, who are good in taking decisions at any time and capable of gaining success by applying their prudence in any situation, for the leadership positions,” she said.
She said the country’s armed forces stand beside the people in every disaster and tough time. “You have been able to earn the trust and confidence of the people, which is the biggest matter,” she said.
The PM said her government has successfully taken the country forward and raised its dignity on the international stage after assuming power in 2009.
“We’ve earned self-dependency economically. Not only that, a brightened image of Bangladesh has also been created before the entire world. Bangladesh has been able to emerge as a role model for development,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina focused on her government’s various successes and steps taken for modernizing the armed forces.