Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has once again said that her country's upcoming general election will be free and fair. She made it clear after UK Foreign Minister James Cleverly during a meeting with her on Saturday (May 06, 2023) said that Britain wants to see a fair national election in Bangladesh in the coming days. Bangladesh is likely to hold the next general election either end this year or early next year. Cleverly called on Hasina at the Claridge Hotel where the visiting prime minister is staying on her official UK visit. Read: US wants Bangladesh to set a strong example of free, fair election Hasina urged cooperation from all to make the next polls free and fair, according to Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen who briefed the media after the meeting. “We want a fair election to be held. My party has always maintained democracy in the country. We have given the country’s democracy a strong footing,” she said. The PM further said that her government is committed to holding a fair election which requires participation of all. "I want cooperation from all to hold a fair election,” Hasina said. Read more: Awami League alone exercises democracy and holds fair polls in Bangladesh: PM Hasina She stated that the AL government had done everything required to hold a fair election. She mentioned introduction of a voter list with photographs of voters and making ballot boxes transparent so that none can manipulate the vote. “We have created a strong state of democracy in Bangladesh," she said. On the contrary the BNP during its rule had prepared a voter list with 1.23 crore fake voters for rigging votes, she said. “We have made the Election Commission (EC) as independent and powerful enough alongside bringing institutional frameworks to hold a fair election,” she said. Read More: Election is Bangladesh’s internal affair, would refrain from commenting: Japanese Ambassador The Prime Minister said they believe in Westminster like democracy following which Bangladesh has introduced a question-answer session in the Parliament. During the talks, several bilateral issues like climate change, trade and commerce alongside the Rohingyas came up prominently, Momen said. The UK foreign minister highly praised the humanitarian role of Bangladesh premier in sheltering a huge number of Rohingyas in Bangladesh. “Britain will remain beside Bangladesh for quick repatriation of Rohingyas,” Cleverly said. Read More: BNP not to join polls under AL: Fakhrul Momen said the British government introduced a resolution before the UN Security Council on the Rohingya issue and played an effective role for its adoption. Cleverly also expressed his gratitude towards Bangladesh premier for joining the coronation of King Charles III.

US President Joe Biden has said his country made a commitment to finding long-term solutions to the Rohingya refugee crisis and holding perpetrators of the atrocities accountable. “You set an example for the world of empathy and generosity in practice,” the US President wrote in a letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The US Embassy in Dhaka shared the letter on Sunday (March 26, 2023) which was originally sent on March 21. The US president said Bangladesh has opened its arms and welcomed nearly one million Rohingya refugees. Read More: UK King Charles eyes continuing strong, close partnership with Bangladesh In a message to PM Hasina, Biden on behalf of the United States, wished her and the people of Bangladesh a happy Independence Day. Bangladeshis understand deeply the value of freedom and independence, as they fought courageously in 1971 to choose their own fate and to speak their own language, Biden wrote in the letter that he concluded with "Joy Bangla." As Bangladesh approaches its next election, the US president said, he is reminded of the “deep value” both the nations place on “democracy, equality, respect for human rights, and free and fair elections.” Read More: British parliament urged to recognise Bangladesh Genocide He applauded Bangladesh’s demonstrated commitment to protecting the most vulnerable as the largest contributor to peacekeeping operations. “We thank Bangladesh for cohosting the Global Action Plan ministerial that significantly elevated the political commitment to end the global pandemic,” Biden said. In over 50 years of diplomatic relations, the United States and Bangladesh have achieved a lot together – advancing economic development, strengthening people-to-people ties, addressing global health and climate issues, partnering on the humanitarian response to Rohingya refugees, and committing to a prosperous, secure, democratic, and independent Bangladesh, said the US president. Read More: Bangladesh’s tremendous achievements widely commended by int’l community: Xi Jinping

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said the government has adopted a plan to develop the Border Guard Bangladesh as a world-class border security force. “The government has adopted the 'Border Guard Bangladesh Vision-2041' in a bid to develop the BGB as a world-class border guard force,” she said while addressing the parade of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Day-2022 at its headquarters in the capital.  Hasina asked the BGB members to continue performing their responsibilities always, including protecting borders, combating smuggling, drug, women-children trafficking, inter-border crimes, and providing security to the lives and property of the people living in the bordering areas. She also extended her sincere thanks to the BGB members as they have been performing their responsibilities with competence. The PM said the border guards played a responsible role during the peaceful exchange of enclaves between Bangladesh and India. “We set an example for the world by exchanging enclaves amid a festive atmosphere,” she said. During the Rohingya influx into Bangladesh, BGB also carried out their responsibilities with efficiency, including the registration of the displaced people, she added. Focusing on the modernisation of BGB during her regime, Sheikh Hasina said the Awami League government has carried out massive development works and enacted a new law in order to enhance the capacity of the force under the BGB reform initiative. “BGB got the organizational shape of an efficient, strong, modern three-dimensional force,” she said, adding that now BGB is capable of performing its duty on land, water and air. The PM said her government has adopted the 'Border Guard Bangladesh Vision-2041' in a bid to develop the BGB as a world-class border guard force. The 'Smart Digital Surveillance and Tactical Border Response System' has been installed at vulnerable border areas for seamless surveillance and countering trans-border terrorism, she said. Read more: Boost food production to avert any crisis: PM Hasina Thanks to addition of the advanced and up-to-date weapons and equipment to the BGB, its operational capacity and competence has been enhanced, she noted. The PM said the present government has taken a plan to construct a total of 1,036 km of border roads with an aim of increasing the security of the hilly border areas and uplifting the socio-economic condition of the people living in the remote areas. The construction of 317 km border road in the first phase is in progress, she informed. The premier thanked the BGB for removing the words “Pak” or “Pakistan” from 14,005 border pillars on Bangladesh-India border and writing “Bangladesh” or “BD” in their places. She called upon members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) to carry out their assigned responsibilities with utmost sincerity and not to break discipline under any circumstance. “Discipline and chain of command are the most important driving forces of any disciplined force. Never break discipline. Carry out the assigned responsibility and follow the chain of command,” she said. The premier was addressing the parade of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Day-2022 at its headquarters in Dhaka. Read more: Bangladesh must not return to lawlessness again: PM Hasina Sheikh Hasina said an unthinkable tragedy occurred only 52 days after the formation of her government in 2009. “The whole nation expects that such an incident won’t occur anymore,” she said. The PM prayed for the salvation of the departed souls who were martyred during the tragedy and expressed sympathy for the bereaved families. On her arrival at the venue, the PM was received by Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, Senior Secretary of Public Security Division Aminul Islam Khan and BGB Director General Major General Shakil Ahmed. The premier inspected the parade at Bir Uttam Anwar Hossain Parade Ground of BGB headquarters in Peelkhana. The PM handed over the BGB Medal, President BGB Medal, BGB Medal-Service and President BGB Medal-Service to a selected BGB members in recognition of their courageous and outstanding contribution to different activities of the force.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday (November 24, 2022) categorically denounced “rumours that banks are facing acute liquidity crisis”. “It’s a blatant lie that there is no money in the banks,” she said while addressing a massive public rally at the district stadium in Jashore, organised by local Awami League. Sheikh Hasina said that on Wednesday (November 23, 2022) she had a meeting with Bangladesh Bank governor and other concerned officials. “There is enough money in the banks,” she assured. Read more: PM’s Japan visit will happen soon, Shahriar Alam says She said that some people are talking about forex reserves. “There is no problem with forex reserves,” she added. She also said that some people are spreading a lie that there is no money in the banks, and paying heed to that rumour, some are withdrawing money from banks. “If you withdraw money from banks and keep it at home, thieves will be encouraged to steal the money. It is just creating an opportunity for the thieves,” she said. She said that remittances are coming in, foreign investments are happening, export income has gone up, and tax collection has been increased as well. Read more: PM reaches Jashore, speaks at President Parade in BAF Academy “While other countries are facing serious debacles due to global recession, Bangladesh is still going strong,” she said. She urged people not to pay heed to any rumour. “It is BNP’s job to spread rumours all the time, you know that,” she added. The prime minister said that BNP had never done anything for the welfare of the country and its people. “They have always engaged in looting when they were in power,” she said. She mentioned that during its 2001-06 tenure, BNP left foreign currency reserves at USD 2.5 billion only. When AL formed the government in 2009, forex reserves were USD 5 billion after the caretaker government’s regime. Read More: No liquidity crisis in banks: ABB During the coronavirus pandemic there was no export and import, as a result forex reserves accumulated to USD 48 billion, she said. Sheikh Hasina, also the AL president, said to procuring Covid-19 vaccines, fertiliser, rice and wheat for the people, the government has spent money. “It (forex reserve) did not go anywhere, it was spent for the welfare of the people,” she said. “We have invested in various works, giving stimulus for export, agriculture and giving deficit money which accumulated up to USD 8 billion,” she said. Read More: No forex crisis from Jan 2023, Bangladesh Bank Gov says  AL general secretary Obaidul Quader, AL MP elected from Khulna Sheikh Helal, AL presidium members Md. Abdur Razzak, Piyush Kanti Bhattacharya and Jahangir Kabir Nanak also spoke at the rally. Jashore District AL president Shahidul Islam Milon presided over the rally. District Awami League General Secretary Shahin Chaklader conducted the Jashore rally.

The renowned US news outlet Washington Post has lauded Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her bold leadership on the global stage alongside Bangladesh’s impressive progress in women’s empowerment and achievements in education and poverty reduction. In a refreshing approach, it has also provided glimpses of Sheikh Hasina’s lighter side. The Washington Post article was published yesterday and written by Petula Dvorak — a columnist for the newspaper. The article mentions that the PM celebrated her 76th birthday with her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and her 16-year-old granddaughter, who live in a suburb just outside Washington DC. Read From the Editor-in-Chief: In the pantheon of leaders, Sheikh Hasina stands taller each year “I cook for them,” Hasina said. “Chicken biryani … At my son’s house, I have my own kitchen that’s just for me.” Dvorak interviewed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Ritz-Carlton in north Virginia, where she was staying after attending the UNGA in New York. Highlighting the Bangladesh PM’s success stories, Dvorak wrote, Sheikh Hasina is the longest-serving female head of government in the world. The article said, the Prime Minister is leading a nation with more people than Russia and survived at least 20 assassination attempts, including a particularly bloody grenade attack in 2004. Read Chinese Minister Liu greets Hasina on her 76th birthday Referring to a man named Abdullah Niami, the writer said, he raised his 6-year-old daughter Zoya up high as he wanted her to see Sheikh Hasina — a female head of government which “America won’t see anytime soon”. The article also highlighted that Sheikh Hasina is upholding the legacy of Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu, as the nation’s Prime Minister for four terms, totaling 18 years so far. At the UN General Assembly, it said, the Prime Minister asked for help with accommodating more than a million Rohingya refugees who fled the violence in Myanmar and settled in Bangladesh camps. Dvorak quoted Sheikh Hasina as saying that camp life is not good and the Rohingyas want to return to their country. Read Hasina and Friends: Interactive gaming platform to educate children Her nation’s migrant situation cannot be compared with America’s, she said, adding that the United States is a vast country with lots of land and opportunities to work. Sheikh Hasina said, Bangladesh ranks as No. 8 in the world in terms of population, with more than 171 million people, but its size is close to that of Wisconsin in the US. The article also highly appreciated the Sheikh Hasina government’s zero-tolerance approach to domestic terrorism. The writer pointed out the “Despite Being a Women” meme featuring Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Read PM Hasina reaches London on the way back home In response, the PM laughingly noted: sometimes “women are better than men”. “Being a woman”, the Prime Minister said, she understands the struggles related to poverty in Bangladesh, the obstacles that most women face, and how their non-inclusion stalls a nation’s progress. In the past decade, her government significantly reduced poverty in the country, expanded educational opportunities and improved housing, she said. The Petula Dvorak's article quoted the World Bank that gives high marks for growth in Bangladesh under Sheikh Hasina’s leadership, noting it went from “being one of the poorest nations at birth in 1971” to reaching “lower-middle income status in 2015.” Read Sheikh Hasina: A legend in her own lifetime

We may not have a Joe Biden to add a new chapter to American history or a Vladimir Putin to push back the boundaries of Russian territory by military might; we may not have a Xi Jinping to invite the world to his 'Belt and Road Initiative' or a Narendra Modi to shepherd Indians towards a one-family world (Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam); we may not have an Angela Merkel to try hard to make good the war damage and reshape a new Germany or a Justin Trudeau to dream of a just society in an unjust world – but we have a Sheikh Hasina, our dearly beloved Prime Minister, whose dearest wish is simply to bring smiles to millions of faces. Her worthy father, the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman too longed for this. It's no small thing to bring smiles to people's faces. People meant the world to Bangabandhu and it is all the same to Hasina too. Putting smiles on faces of the have-nots embodies the very essence of her political philosophy. Read: PM Hasina’s 76th birthday Wednesday Sheikh Hasina is a legend in her own lifetime. Love of people is her life force. She is our Paramount Leader. We don't need anybody else at this moment in time to promise us the moon or the land of milk and honey. We are quite content with a Bangladesh which has survived the onslaught of the coronavirus pandemic and whose people are still having a square meal and sheltered accommodation while countries like Sri Lanka have gone bankrupt. Against all the odds at home and abroad, Bangladesh is rising through the ranks from 'the Basket Case' to 'the Emerging Tiger' under the visionary leadership of Sheikh Hasina – our longest serving and larger than life premier. We are a peaceable nation. But we understand war. We have bought our independence at the cost of blood, sweat and tears and we will sustain it at all costs. But we don't want to assert dominance over others, we only want to assert our rights. We want our fair share of the cake – in our lands, waters and the skies. We don't poke our nose into others' affairs, nor do we want others to stick theirs into ours. We foster friendship with all and bear grudges against none. This is what the Father of the Nation taught us and we abide by. Our visions, missions and core values as an independent nation are shaping up nicely in the hands of our dynamic and forward-looking premier, Sheikh Hasina. Read: Special publication launched lauding PM Hasina's extraordinary leadership This is the fourth time Sheikh Hasina is serving the country as Prime Minister. But it was never plane sailing. She has survived as many as twenty attempts on her life after the assassination of Bangabandhu. The enemies were common and lots more have been added to the list. Her strong personality, iron will and lifelong commitment to the Liberation War ideals earned her the enmity of people opposed to them. She faces opposition at home and abroad but never gives in. Despite the World Bank's deliberate non-cooperation in the country's largest construction project, US Government's sanctions on the elite paramilitary force RAB (Rapid Action Battalion), and the global post-COVID-19 economic depression, Sheikh Hasina is carrying on with her development work. Hasina is easily the epitome of what a prime minister of a 50-year-old country and a custodian of a nascent economy should be like. As one of us, she is guiding 160 million people on how to reach a common goal. We have seen her cooking food in the kitchen, wearing a handloom saree, wrapping its edge around her waist and grinding spices on the stone with her own hands; we have also seen her making rabble-rousing speeches at the Paltan Maidan. We have seen her walking barefoot on the sandy shores of the beach; we have also seen her taking local rickshaw van rides among village folks breaking security barriers. We have seen her giving the Rohingya children big hugs at their ramshackle camps; and we have also seen her striking the war criminals with iron fists. Hasina is a beautiful blend of simplicity and toughness. Read PM: Returning from UNGA with friendship for Bangladesh Today is Sheikh Hasina's 76th birthday. Wishes come flooding in from home and abroad. I have also a lot to say. But words fail me. On Tagore's 80th birthday as Mahatma Gandhi sent a telegram saying "Four score not enough. May you finish five", Tagore, wearied of age and illness, replied with thanks: "Four score is impertinence [and] five score intolerable." But on her 76th birthday, our HPM is quite hale and hearty. She enjoys life through work. She gently scolds the newsmen for reminding her of her age just for the fun of it. For sure she has proved that she has the 'impertinence' to live for 4 score years minus 4; and to finish full four and then five will not, perhaps, be 'intolerable' to her as it never appears that she has outlived her usefulness. She has approached 76 chronologically, but age could not wither her. She never feels old and weary. Except for 5 hours of sleep a day, she spends the rest of the time thinking of the good of her country and her people. She could have died with her parents on that fateful August night in 1975. But she survived. Maybe, in the nation's relay race, nature wanted Bangabandhu's baton to be passed on to her. Fortune smiled upon Bangladesh and we had Sheikh Hasina as the worthy heir of Bangabandhu and to his politics. She is our pride and joy. Read What PM said on Russia-Ukraine war, Rohingya issue, climate action, terrorism at 77th UNGA The writer is an academic, fictionist, columnist, translator, media personality and former vice chancellor of Kushtia Islamic University, Bangladesh. Email: [email protected]

After nearly 56 years, commercial services on the restored Haldibari-Chilahati railway corridor between India and Bangladesh will resume Sunday. The revamped railway corridor was inaugurated by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on December 17 last year. Read: 3 more haats to be set up along Bangladesh-India border: Tipu A freight train will make the journey to Bangladesh from the eastern Indian state of West Bengal on the restored 12km corridor, the Indian Railways announced Saturday. "The first goods train to Bangladesh through the re-opened Haldibari-Chilahati rail link is being loaded with stone chips at Damdim station of Alipurduar Division, NFR. The train is scheduled to reach Chilahati (Bangladesh) on 01.08.2021," the Northeast Frontier Railway tweeted. Read: Jaishankar arrives Thursday to deepen Bangladesh-India ties The railway corridor had been lying defunct since 1965 after train links between India and then East Pakistan snapped. And once in operation, the corridor will boost bilateral trade between the two countries. While the distance between India's Haldibari Railway Station and the international border is 4.5 km, it's another 7.5 km on the Bangladesh side from the 'zero point'.

India and Bangladesh will strengthen bilateral defence and security ties and are also likely to ink a number of pacts during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's two-day state visit to Dhaka, the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday. Modi will visit Bangladesh on March 26-27 to attend the golden jubilee celebrations of the country's independence and the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The Indian PM is also slated to visit Gopalganj’s Tungipara area, Bangabandhu's birthplace. “Both sides will be signing a range of agreements during Modi's visit. These agreements will be covering a number of areas of our cooperation -- disaster management, oceanography and trade," Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla told the media in New Delhi. Also read: Modi due Friday as main attraction of 10-Day celebration "A number of new announcements -- bolstering cooperation in areas ranging from health, railway connectivity, border development and start-ups -- are also expected to be made," he added. Talks on bolstering defence and security cooperation between the two countries are also on the agenda of Modi's meeting with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, according to the top Indian diplomat. Also read: Bangabandhu's vision lights Dhaka-Delhi friendship: Modi "Security and defence is an important part of our cooperation with Bangladesh. We have in recent years signed an agreement on defence cooperation with Bangladesh and undertaken joint military, training and capacity building exercises on a regular basis," Shringla said. "It is a regular practice for chiefs of our armed forces to visit Bangladesh. We have excellent defence cooperation between our countries. As we go along, we will continue to add more and more depth and momentum to that relationship,” the Indian Foreign Secretary added. Also read: Modi's visit to highlight priority attached to Bangladesh: South Block On bilateral relations, Shringla said, "Ties between the two countries have no parallel. Indian soldiers had fought and were killed alongside Bangladeshis for independence." India and Bangladesh share a 4,096-kilometre-long international border, the fifth-longest land border in the world. Both countries also share historical, civilisation and cultural ties.

 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday put emphasis on constructing necessary infrastructures to reap the highest benefits from the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) signed between Bangladesh and Bhutan. She made the observation during a meeting with visiting Bhutanese Prime Minister Dr. Lotay Tshering at her office. PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting. He said that both the Prime Ministers discussed on various fields of cooperation between the two countries, especially trade and connectivity. Both of them agreed to activate the riverine routes so that trade between the two countries could be expanded. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina put emphasis on building more ports of call. For establishing cooperation in hydropower project, she asked for formulating bilateral or tripartite MoU in this regard. The Bhutanese Prime Minister requested Prime Minister Hasina to issue one time multiple full term visa for their students who are studying in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Prime Minister agreed upon the issue and asked the officials concerned for taking necessary steps. She also said that Bangladesh would cooperate Bhutan in ICT sector, especially providing broadband internet. Both the leaders also agreed on working together in the United Nations and other forums. Also read: Bhutanese PM pays tributes to Bangabandhu, Liberation War martyrs Earlier, the two Prime Ministers also held a tête-à-tête for 45 minutes. Prime Minister Dr Tshering conveyed the warm greetings of The King and the people of Bhutan to Bangladesh during the meeting.  

Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Muhammad Imran on Friday visited the Bangabandhu-Bapu digital exhibition at Vigyan Bhawan.