Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday stressed the need for addressing traditional and non-traditional threats to ensure national security as the pattern of crimes has changed with the advent of newer technology.
"Nowadays, the security concept is changed as on the one hand, digital devices brought many advantages and on the other hand changed the pattern of terrorism, militancy and crimes. So, it is equally important to defend non-traditional and traditional threats to ensure national security," PM said while addressing the graduation ceremony of Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC) Course-2022 and handing over certificates among the graduates at the DSCSC's Sheikh Hasina Complex, Mirpur Cantonment, in Dhaka, as the chief guest.
While speaking at the event, She also said that she wants a peaceful environment to prevail in Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Hasina reiterated her call to world leaders to stop the Russia-Ukraine war immediately for the welfare of the global community.
"We don't want war rather want peace. We want to resolve all disputes and differences through talks," she added.
The prime minister mentioned that her government is making the armed forces developed and powerful, but not to engage in war with anyone.
"Our foreign policy, "Friendship to all, malice to none" is very clear. We're running the state with maintaining friendly relations to all following the foreign policy adopted by the Father of the Nation," she also said.
“We have even not engaged in any quarrel with Myanmar over the repatriation of their forcibly displaced national Rohingyas to their homeland. We're trying to solve the problem through discussions," she pointed out.
The premier referred to solving the land boundary issue with India through discussion and establishing rights in the vast sea areas and on its resources after winning legal battles with neighbouring India and Myanmar maintaining friendly relations.
She once again alerted the people of Bangladesh against rumours about the foreign currency reserve and liquidity in banks, saying, "A vested quarter is out to spread rumours about the foreign reserve and liquidity in banks. Don't pay heed to the rumour."
She also assured the people of having enough foreign reserves and liquidity in banks.
Sheikh Hasina highlighted that her government has been able to transform Bangladesh into a digital and developing country in line with the Vision-2021 mentioned in the election manifesto of 2008.
"It is a great achievement for us to make Bangladesh a developing country when the nation celebrates the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the golden jubilee of the country's independence."
The prime minister said they are now out to make Bangladesh a developed and prosperous country and transform "Digital Bangladesh" into a "Smart Bangladesh" by implementing Vision-2041.
She greeted 250 officers including 46 from 21 friendly countries for completing their DSCSC Course-2022 and hoped the local graduates would take the country to a dignified position using their knowledge, will power and commitment acquired from the training.
This year eight female officers graduated from the DSCSC and till now, some 5979 personnel from home and abroad have so far graduated from the DSCSC.
The prime minister extended her heartiest congratulation to foreign graduates.
"I believe you have compassion and respect for Bangladesh and our people in your hearts. So, I expect you will act as a goodwill ambassador of Bangladesh from now on. I wish you every success in life," She said.
The prime minister said her government had taken various initiatives to transform the armed forces into modern and powerful alongside making socio-economic development upon assuming power through people's mandate in 1996 after 21 years.
Sheikh Hasina said her government is implementing short, mid and long-term plans to make ultra-modern, time-befitting, and more developed armed forces since her party is in power for the third consecutive term since 2009.
"We are taking measures to make the armed forces more modern and developed after coming to power for the second time by implementing the Forces Goal-2030 in line with the Defence Policy, 1974 formulated by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman."
The prime minister emphasized the topmost priority to training, saying that the overall standard of armed forces would not be achieved through only collecting world-class war weapons, rather it required time-befitting and future-oriented training alongside the war weapons.
She said that her government is working to make the armed forces personnel competent enough as none of them lags behind compared to any force of the globe.
The premier also said that they (armed forces personnel) have to work with other military members of various countries in the UN peacekeeping missions.
“The government has introduced a digital system in all the forces including the armed forces,” She also mentioned.
