OPPORTUNITY - Bangladesh

Opportunity BangladeshStatehood. We believe that they havemade deep inroads to reverse theculture of impunity which had besiegedthe nation since the assassination ofthe father of the Nation will effectivelylay down a bedrock for the return, andadvent, to the Rule of Law and Ruleunder the Constitution.On foreign policy issues, theGovernment has continued to pursueits policy of friendship to all nations.Coupled with its elected character andthe massive mandate it has received inthe last general elections, Bangladeshnow enjoys excellent relations withthe outside world. The resolutionof some long running issues withIndia and considerable progress tosolve remaining ones, the successfulholding of the Climate VunerableForum Ministerial Meeting in Dhaka,the unanimous adoption of theHon’ble Prime Minister’s “people’sempowerment” model at the SecondCommittee of the UN, Bangladesh’selection to a record number of UNand international bodies, the decisionto establish the Permanent Secretariatof the BIMSTEC in Dhaka, the promptrepatriation of about 37000 Bangladeshnationals from Libya etc., securing thereturn of 35 Bangladesh nationals,including 26 crew members, seized bySomali pirates and the release and safereturn of 7 Bangladesh nationals fromAfghanistan, are the hallmarks of theforeign policy pursued by the presentGovernment during last three years.The winning of ‘South South Award’during the 66th UNGA and ‘MDGAward’ by Hon’ble Prime Ministerduring the 65th UNGA for achieveingimpressive progress are eloquenttestimonies in this regard. Withoutprejudice to our other achievements,we have been able to participatemeaningfully in an ever expandingmultilateral world and contribute toworld peace-keeping efforts throughthe UN. Our efforts have resulted inBangladesh being called a stabilizingState in the region.Then, of course, we have enjoyedhigh success in pursuing our interestsin our maritime claims. Ever since thebirth of our nation, our entitlementto the territorial sea, the Exclusiveeconomic Zone and the ContinentalShelf appeared to be theoretical rights.They were, indeed, neglected andBangladesh was unable to excercisesovereignty and sovereign rights overthese territories contemplated inour Constitution. Callous neglect bysuccessive Governments, military andquasi military, had deprived our peopleover the resources of these areas. OurGovernment, led by Prime MinisterSheikh Hasina, has successfully settledour maritime entitlements with ourco-literal state, Myanmar througharbitration at ITLOS. Not only havebeen able to settle this issue we havesettled it through peaceful meansand respect for internatioanl lawand principles laid down in the UNCharter to which we are committed.That although are maritimeentitlements remain unsettled withIndia, we have every reason to believethat we will be able to settle ourclaims peacefully and successfullythrough the arbitration process wehave initiated at the Internationalcourt of Arbitration and Bangladeshwill emerge with vast new resourceshitherto untapped and unavailed.I wish to highlight the continuingengagement by, and efforts of, ourDiaspora serve enormously towardsthe achievement of our foreign policyobjectives. The introduction MRP andMRV have been introduced in almosthalf of the Bangladesh Missionsabroad, together with the on goingprocess to do so in the remainingMissions, reflects the high degreeof success in that area. To find outbusiness potentials and to aggressivelyexplore employment for our nationals,the Government has sent fact-findingMissions to Latin America and Africafor the first time. We are planning toopen new Missions abroad soon tosupport our commercial drive andat a time when our export volume,remittance flow and inbound FDI arewitnessing an upward trend.I take this opportunity to thank allour officials and staff at the Ministryof Foreign Affairs and our Missionsabroad who have devoted themselvesto achieving our foreign policyobjectives. I also congratulate theBangladesh Diaspora who has lentbuoyancy of the economy of theircountry of origin as well as to theirhost countries.No message, at this stage of ournational life, can be complete withoutinvoking the source of our inspiration,namely, the inspiration imbibedby Bangabandhu, the Father of ourBangalee Nation, our four nationalleaders who, in his absence, led usduring the nine months to our ultimatevictory, the martyrs who laid downtheir lives, our Freedom Fighters, whohad risked their lives against a modernruthless and genocidal army. I recalltheir cause and contribution in thegreat struggle for our independenceand statehood. With the entire nation,I also recall, with the highest regard,those who suffered in silence, movedfrom shelter to shelter within thecountry, or took refuge across theborder in India, without assurances offood or money on their person, and tothose who lost their closest relativesand friends. I take the opportunityto remind ourselves that their willand aspirations embodied in ourConstitution will provide the basis ofall our endeavours.Joy BanglaJoy BangabandhuHer ExcellencyDr. Dipu Moni, MPHon’ble Foreign Minister ofthe People’s Republic of BangladeshOpportunity Bangladesh 9