Pakistan & Bangladesh share rich history of brotherly ties: Qaiser Sheikh
Naveed Ahmad Khan Photo by Raja Farid
ISLAMABAD: To celebrate 53rd anniversary of the independence and National Day of Bangladesh, High Commissioner H.E.Mr.Md.Ruhul Alam Siddique & Mrs. Shamshad Ara Khanam hosted a reception here at a hotel in Islamabad. The event was attended in large number by diplomats, officers from the armed forces of the diplomatic corps, Bangladeshis residing in the Pakistan and important personalities from different walks of society.
Bangladesh independence and National Day celebrated with prominent participation as chief guest by Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Mr. Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh and Chief Justice, Federal Shariat Court Mr. Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rahman, as guest of honor. Former interim Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jalil Abbas Jilani ,Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chairman of the Senate Defence Committee , Senator Sehar Kamran and Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Pakistan and Dean of Diplomatic Corps H.E. Mr. Atadjan Movlamov were also present on the occasion.
The guest of honor and other persons, including envoys of the SAARC region were also invited to share the stage.
The Chief Guest, Mr. Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh extended felicitations to Bangladesh on behalf of the Government of Pakistan, reaffirming the commitment to further strengthen the bilateral relationship between the two nations in the future.
“We have always valued the bond of brotherhood that unites our people, and we are determined to take it to new heights,” he added.
At the eve of Bangladesh independence and National Day, the Minister commented it was gratifying that there had been significant improvement in the mutual relations between the two countries in recent years. “We should continue working to further improve our relations in the future,” he said.
He stressed there were immense possibilities of cooperation between Pakistan and Bangladesh in various fields including trade, culture, and people-to-people contact.
He said, “We must use all avenues to strengthen the ties and enhance cooperation for the mutual benefit of people.”
The High Commissioner of Bangladesh, H. E. Md.Ruhul Alam Siddique shared his country’s progress – the fastest growing economy; bilateral relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh and the interaction that takes place between the two countries at different levels.
He said In the early hours of 26 March 1971, the greatest Bangalee of all time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared Independence of a new nation called Bangladesh. On this auspicious occasion, I recall him with great reverence and profound respect. I also take this opportunity to pay tribute to all Bangalee men and women who embraced martyrdom and endured endless miseries during the War of Liberation in 1971.
The Ambassador said that “Since 1971, Bangladesh has gone a long way. During the last fifty-years, just to mention a few, per capita income increased 30 times from merely 94 US Dollars in 1972 to 2824 US Dollars and life expectancy increased to 72 years from 47 years after independence. One of the most significant achievements of Bangladesh in these years is that Bangladesh is all set to graduate from a LDC to a developing country in 2026”.
He said the able daughter of the Father of the Nation, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina assumed office for five years in 1996. She again became the Prime Minister in 2009. This January, she was reelected Prime Minister for the fifth time and for the fourth consecutive terms.
Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh has achieved remarkable progress in socio-economic development and it has been transformed into one of the most vibrant emerging economies of the world. During the last 15 years, Bangladesh has registered around average sevenpercent GDP growth. It has made laudable achievements in women empowerment, access to education, maternal and child health, application of information technology and tackling the risks of climate change. Bangladesh is now a knowledge-based middle income country. It has achieved all the MDGs and is on the right track in meeting the targets of SDGs.
Presently, Bangladesh is marching forward to achieve the next goal: “Vision 2041”,i.e. “Smart Bangladesh”;a high income country with smart citizens, smart economy, smart government and smart society by 2041.
Ruhul Alam said that the cardinal principle of Bangladesh Foreign Policy “Friendship with all and malice towards none” was enunciated by the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Guided by this principle, Bangladesh continues to play its role in global peace, security and stability. Bangladesh is an important country in the peacekeeping and peace building initiatives of the United Nations. As part of this role, Bangladesh has been one of the top peace-keeper contributing countries in the United Nations Peacekeeping Operations for the last three decades.
He informed that Bangladesh has also set an example of humanity by allowing to enter into and hosting over 1.2 million forcibly displaced distressed Myanmar nationals, the Rohingyas, inside its territory. I take this opportunity to call upon the people and the government of Pakistan as well as the world community to come forward for the resolution of this humanitarian crisis through convincing the Myanmar authorities to create conducive conditions in Rakhaine State for the voluntary return of these people to their homes.
Mr. Siddique said Bangladesh and Pakistan enjoy a unique relationship based on shared history and commonality of faith and culture. The relationship is rooted in the common desire for realizing the goals of regional peace, stability and socio-economic progress of the peoples of the two countries. I hope that the relationship between our two countries will continue to grow stronger in all areas of cooperation in the years to come.
With this hope, let me conclude by wishing the peoples of Bangladesh and Pakistan continued peace, progress and prosperity.
He concluded the speech by wishing the peoples of Bangladesh and Pakistan continued peace, friendship, progress and prosperity.
Before dinner, a cake cutting ceremony was also organized. Dinner with some Bangladeshi specialties was served for participants. As someone remarked, it is people to people contacts which make good relations between countries even better and such events make a real difference.
