PM hails armed forces for standing by the people

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday lauded the country's military for standing by the side the people during natural disasters and other crisis.

"I believe that our army is now truly the people's army. The armed forces stand beside the people during any disaster and accident and extend their cooperation to them," she said.

The prime minister was addressing a civic and military gathering at a reception arranged at Senakunja of Dhaka Cantonment on the occasion of the Armed Forces Day 2022.

We want peace, not war

Hasina said Bangladesh doesn't want war against anyone, but instead wants peace and friendly relations with all the countries.

"We'll not fight against anyone. We want peace," she said.

The prime minister said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had framed the policy of 'Friendship to All, Malice to None' (the cornerstone of the country's foreign policy) and this is being followed by her government.

On this day during the War of Liberation in 1971, the Bangladesh Armed Forces comprising Army, Navy and Air Force, came into being and launched an all-out attack on the Pakistani occupation forces which accelerated the victory in the Liberation War.

Since the independence of the country, this historic day is observed as the Armed Forces Day.

She said her government has relentlessly been working for the socio-economic uplift of the common people of the country by keeping the friendly relations with all countries of the world in line with the policy.

Trying as much as possible so that people don't suffer

Sheikh Hasina said her government can take ahead the development programmes since a democratic trend continues now, but unfortunately the Covid-19 pandemic affected the progress of the country.

She said the prices of commodities and transport cost soared significantly due to the Ukraine-Russia war and sanctions following the pandemic.

"Even then we've been trying as much as possible so that our people don't suffer (from price-hikes of essentials)," she said, adding that they are trying to purchase from every possible source to ease their sufferings.

She focused on the ongoing food programmes run by the government to support the poor people amid this crisis. "We've been implementing all sorts of steps to improve the life and livelihood of the people," she added.

The prime minister said Bangladesh was recognised as a role model for development, but the pandemic, war and sanctions have put the country largely into trouble. Economic recession is now seen everywhere including the UK, the US and Europe, she added.

"In this situation, our economy still remains vibrant and is moving. But with cooperation from all, we would definitely be able to take it out of this situation (trouble)," said Hasina.

She iterated her call to grow more foods and cultivate every piece of arable land.

Focusing on her government's steps to modernise the armed forces, the prime minister said she has developed every force and built up every institute so that the Army, Navy and Air Force can move, keeping the pace with the world as the Armed Forces of Bangladesh are working in the United Nations peacekeeping missions.

She said the peacekeepers of Bangladesh have been working in the UN missions for 34 years with dedication and pride. Now Bangladesh is the largest contributor to the UN peacekeeping operations, she added.

PM's Security Affairs Adviser Major Gen (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique and the chiefs of the three services were present.

Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, cabinet members, political leaders, foreign diplomats, leading figures representing different professions, editors, senior civil and military officials and their spouses, among others, attended the reception.