We Will Be Able To Maintain A Good Relationship With India: PM

"It's very natural that you may have differences about policy. But, if there is any problem, you could solve it through bilateral discussions," she said during her interaction with the local Japanese media at the National Press Club of Japan this morning.

"We will be able to maintain a good relationship with India....he (Modi) has own ideas, now he has become the Indian Prime Minister and I hope that he, as the Prime Minister, would also play his role to maintain good relations with neighbours," she added.

Sheikh Hasina made the remarks when a Japanese journalist asked whether there would be any obstacle to Bangladesh-India ties after Narendra Modi became the new Prime Minister.

In this connection, she cited the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty with India in her first tenure in 1997 overcoming the long- standing dispute as well as signing of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord ending the two-decade insurgency.

"Our foreign policy is very clear -- friendship to all and malice to none. Since we've formed the government, we've found good relationship with our neighbours," she added.

The Prime Minister said that India has also a foreign policy and hoped that they would follow the policy. In this connection, she said that in her three terms, she had worked with four different political parties that formed government in India and the latest Modi government is the fifth one.

She said, "How to protect peoples' safety and security and ensure well being..I know that. India is a big country and may be we're small geographically. But, considering population, we're a big country. Bangladesh is an independent sovereign country and definitely we've to ensure independence, sovereignty and security of our people."

The Prime Minister said that she always values friendship with the neighbouring countries adding," I always use to say that our common enemy is poverty and we've to fight the poverty together."

In reply to a question whether Bangladesh would extend its support to Japan in the non-permanent seat of the UN Security Council, the Prime Minister said Bangladesh and Japan are two friendly countries and Dhaka greatly values its friendship with Tokyo.

She mentioned that Japan extended support and was very much with Bangladesh during the War of Liberation in 1971. "Not only had the common Japanese people, even its schoolchildren contributed the tiffin money for the refugees and their children," she said.

"We always remember with gratitude that Japanese support.....Japan is our tested friend and Bangladesh is ready to make any sacrifice for the tested friend," she said.

The Prime Minister said that she has already invited Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe to visit Bangladesh and hoped that he would visit Dhaka at the end of August this year.

During the visit, she said, Japanese people would definitely get a good news. She however, said she does not want to make any comments about the issue at this moment.

"I will have to go back and discuss the matter with my cabinet colleagues. But we would definitely value the friendship with Japan," she said.

Earlier in her written speech, the Prime Minister said following her fruitful discussion with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe they have launched the Japan-Bangladesh Comprehensive Partnership by elevating the friendly relationship between the two countries to a higher level.

The Prime Minister said she also requested Mr Abe to help build several mega infrastructure projects to keep up the momentum of Bangladesh's development and progress.

She also referred the signing of a MoU between agencies concerned of the two countries on providing 40 industrial plots and two factory buildings for Japanese entrepreneurs in five Export Processing Zones in different parts of Bangladesh.

Sheikh Hasina said the Japanese Prime Minister also assured her that from now onwards more Bangladeshi government officials and students would study in Japan under enhanced numbers of Japanese government scholarships.

"It will increase people to people contact and help capacity building of the government officials," she hoped

She also mentioned that both she and Mr Abe also agreed to extend reciprocal visa exemption for the diplomatic and official passport holders of both the countries.

Sheikh Hasina said trusting in the socioeconomic development of the present government, the people of Bangladesh gave their mandate for the second consecutive terms through January 5 national elections.

The Prime Minister said her government announced a Charter titled "Marching Ahead Bangladesh" to realize Sonar Bangla through maintaining the continuity of prosperity and fulfilling the people's aspiration of peace, stability and democracy.

Terming Japan as a steadfast and biggest development partner of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina said the friendship between the two countries based on mutual trust respect and cooperation and hoped that partnership will endure and continue to bring peace, progress and prosperity to our countries and peoples.

Ambassador-At-Large M Ziauddin, PM's Media adviser Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, PM's Principal Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder, ERD Secretary Md Mejbahuddin, Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque, PM's Special Assistant Mahbubul Hoque Shakil, among others, were present on the occasion.

-Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS)