PM Seeks More British Support To Continue Bangladesh's Advancement

"Bangladesh is making impressive progress in every field. But we need more assistance from Great Britain as it's a great country and has been supporting us for a long time. I hope that it would continue its support for the people of Bangladesh," she said.

The Prime Minister said this while addressing a reception at the office of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), UK Chapter, at British Parliament here on Monday afternoon. Chairman of All Party Parliamentary Group on Bangladesh Keith Vaz accorded the reception to the lawmakers who were elected for the first time in British Parliament.

PM's ICT Advisor Sajeeb Wazed Joy, Labour Party MP and granddaughter of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tulip Rezwana Siddique and a number of British House of Commons members also spoke at the function.

PM's Media Advisor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, Radwan Mujib Siddique Bobby, Bangladesh High Commissioner to Britain Md Abdul Hannan and PM's Press Secretary AKM Shameem Chowdhury were present on the occasion.

Some 30 MPs including Rushana Ali, Dr Rupa Huq, Jimi Fitzpatrick, Anne Main, Kate Osamer, Catherin West, Jonathon Shaw, Andy Slater, Baroness Paula Uddin and CPA UK Chapter Chief Executive Andrew Tuggy were present.

Describing Britain as a major development partner of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina expressed the hope that Bangladesh and Britain would continue to work together for mutual benefits of the two countries.

Reiterating her firm determination to build Bangladesh as a poverty-free developed and prosperous country, the Prime Minister said her government has been striving to achieve the goal. "Our vision is very clear that we want to establish Bangladesh as a poverty-free prosperous country," she said.

The Prime Minister said Bangladesh is making good progress on all socioeconomic fronts. "We have opened the door as we established connectivity with Nepal, Bhutan and India and we are also going to establish connectivity with China, India and Myanmar through the BCIM Economic Corridor," she said.

Pointing out the recent visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina said she told the Indian premier one thing that, "We have a common vision of rooting out poverty from the region for ever."

"I have been trying my best to create a friendly atmosphere so that we can solve all problems. Our aim is to alleviate poverty and provide basic needs to the people," she said.

Responding to the speech of a British parliament member in which he raised the issue of safety of the workers in Bangladesh's readymade garment industry, Sheikh Hasina said her government always works for the downtrodden people like workers, farmers and the common people.

"The government has started taking care how the workers can get a good atmosphere in their workplace," she said. Noting the government efforts for further reducing the poverty rate, the Prime Minister said the present government wants to cut the poverty rate by 10 percent further during its tenure.

"Poverty rate has been slashed to 22.7 percent and we want to reduce it by 10 percent more in the next three and a half years and I am confident that we would be able to achieve the goal," she said.

In this connection, Sheikh Hasina mentioned that when her previous government assumed office in 2009, there was a difficult time as the world was experiencing economic recession at that time.

"It was a very tough time to keep up GDP growth rate. But we were lucky that we could maintain over 6 percent GDP growth. This year, the GDP growth rate is 6.51 percent," she said.

Congratulating the British MPs who were elected for the first time, the Prime Minister said they are performing their responsibilities as baroness and members of parliament.

"It's a huge job and I know you are from a developed country and we are from a developing country...there is a gulf of difference in it," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said the people of Bangladesh struggled for establishing democracy for a long time. "But you are lucky that you are enjoying democratic system," she said.

The Prime Minister said: "Though we are trying to follow Westminster type of democracy, it's a difficult job. However, we are improving gradually to this end."

Sheikh Hasina recalled that she was barred from going back home in 2007 by the then caretaker government. At that time, I got support from all parties and MPs of the British parliament.

While talking about her today's visit to British parliament, Sheikh Hasina mentioned that she came to this building and the CPA UK chapter room several times. "I spent a plenty of time at this building and the CPA UK chapter room for establishment of democracy in Bangladesh."

About election of her niece Tulip Siddique, the Prime Minister said she was in London when Tulip was born. "Still I remember that I saw her first like a flower, "Tulip". Now she is a member of British parliament...I'm proud of her and wish her all success," she said.

Expressing her feelings after being elected in the UK parliament for the first time, Tulip Siddique said it's a great honour to be a Labour Party MP from the Hampstead and Killbern constituency and be elected with the fantastic women.

"We are proud to have a good number of women in the British parliament and we could take lesson from Bangladesh in this regard," she said. The Labour Party MP said that in Bangladesh, the Prime Minister is a woman, the opposition leader is a woman and one point that all the five top posts of the government are occupied by the women.

Tulip said: "We are very proud to have the Bangladesh Prime Minister in the British parliament. I Personally, I have learned a lot from you and you provided me the confidence to be successful in the last polls."

PM's ICT advisor Sajeeb Wazed Joy, who was specially invited to speak at the event, said Bangladesh has made great strides in the IT sector with villages now connected with internet.

"This was due to the "Digital Bangladesh" vision of the Prime Minister.

In his welcome address, Keith Vaz praised the Prime Minister for her courageous work to establish a strong Bangladesh and that it was a great honour to have her at the programme.

He said the Bangladesh Premier is definitely a proud woman who has herself stood out setting many examples for others.

Anne Maine, a Conservative Party MP, also spoke about the age-old friendship between Bangladesh and Britain.

Earlier on her arrival at the British Parliament, the Prime Minister was received by Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow.