Dhaka: Diplomatic relationship with any of the world’s country is now in a better shape than any other time before. Bangladesh was never so tied, like present days, with the United States of America and the European Countries, specially the United Kingdom. We are passing our best time with Russia, China and Japan. With the Middle Eastern and East Asian countries, we are getting more and more intimate, especially in labor migration aspect.

Amicable relationship is going on with all neighbors in South Asia, particularly with India. The bondage of cooperation is getting stronger and we are having more and more new friends across the world day by day.

Foreign secretary Shahidul Haque, a career diplomat and bureaucrat said all these while he was sharing the diplomatic aspects of the present government in an exclusive interview with Banglanews24.com.

In the long discussion he brought the issues of Bangladesh’s economic and political relationship with different countries and international and regional bodies across world.

Bangladesh is now a dignified and important front-row vocal in international forums. Its versions and opinions are being treated and considered with due importance. And when it is a question of world peace, counter-terrorism the names Bangladesh and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina are uttered `by default’, said Shahidul Haque.

The world forum is now working on fixing Post 2015 Development Agendas and Bangladesh has successfully negotiated the inclusion of top three own priorities - Climate Change, Poverty Alleviation and Migration Development, he informed.
 
The achievement, Bangladesh has shown in accomplishing the Millennium Development Goals have been accepted across world as a `miracle model’. In world forums, we find the leaders astonishingly making queries how a country from LDC group could ensure such progresses in so little time, said Shahidul Haque.

The answer is also very much known to this diplomat cum bureaucrat. He wants to give the whole credit to the people of the country. The individual efforts of the country people are the keys of our successes, he said. We hardly see such individual level involvement with national development in other countries of the world, he added.

`Here everybody is working, they are trying to change their own fate and that results over all development of the nation.’     
 
The people on the streets in Dhaka city are always seen on rush. Huge people are seen on mass vehicles, they are going or coming from somewhere, and that is obviously to and from work, no one sits idle and that is the key to success, said Shahidul Haque.

Bangladesh has gained image across world in past six years, opined Shahidul Haque and added that, we are no more known as a country of poverty, hunger, illiteracy and malnutrition, rather we are now recognized as a country of advancing economy. Not only that, our contribution to the development of the world, is also recognized and lauded.

When it is a question of setting norms for the peace and development, keeping peace and action against terrorism the name of Bangladesh uttered among the first few names. The Culture of Peace is a model of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself and Bangladesh believe that the development of the world lies in the peacefulness. Where there is terrorism, Bangladesh is the first to protest. And the world leaders know it very well. They keep in mind that Bangladesh will always be found beside to fight terrorism. Bangladesh is well known as a peaceful pluralistic country across world, added Shahidul Haque.

While asked about the world’s concern on Bangladesh’s political unrest prior to January 5 general election in 2014 and the ongoing situation in connection with observing the anniversary of the day, Shahidul Haque said, no country in the world talks on the internal issues of another country, this is diplomatic norm. Bangladesh is also not vocal about the internal problems of other country. But this is true that there is a campaign of such concerns, these are media-made and we have located some world organizations that do it in exchange of money. This are paid organizations and some political forces try to use them to talk against the government so that their opportunity to grab power becomes easy, but a country of democracy never take this type of propaganda so seriously and the present government of Bangladesh also puts no emphasis on the issue, said the secretary of the ministry of foreign affairs.

Bangladesh is run on the basis of the spirit of the war of independence and the spirit is well-taken across the world. They have recognized us on that basis and no country will favor any force that works against the war of independence, Shahidul opined while he was answering a query about world’s attitude in connection with the trial of the war criminals.

When a country takes action against the traitors, and the enemies of the liberation, no one has a scope to talk against that, said the career diplomat.
   
This is a clear version from my part that no world-country or recognized world organization is talking against the trial, these are few paid organizations who are taking money from the anti-liberation forces and raising the issues of human rights. These are not at all accepted in the international forums, said Shahidul Haque.

These are not giving any result in present days. The days are over. Those, who are still trying to get benefit out of such propagandas, are doing nothing but losing their own money and time.

While asked about the activities of the ministry of foreign affairs, Shahidul Haque said the `Migration and Development’ is one of the priorities and government is giving all due emphasis on it. There was a time when migration was not considered as a development agenda but now the time is changed and we have successfully included it in next world development agendas through due negotiation.

Peoples who are flying to other countries and involve their merit and labor are not only contributing to the earning of foreign exchange for own country but also contribute to the development of the nations concerned. Bangladesh strongly believe that this contribution is also counted in world development as well and that is why we are placing the issue with due priority in all international and regional discussions, added Shahidul Haque.

In 2016 Bangladesh is going to chair the Global Forum on Migration and Development, informed the foreign secretary.

In connection with the world priority of climate change issue, Bangladesh is a big vocal, he said. Where there is a discussion on Climate Change agenda, Bangladesh is talking. In 2014 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was specially invited by the Secretary General of United Nations to talk on Climate Change among global leaders. In 2015 she is again going to be invited, said Shahidul Haque.

What are the involvements of developed countries in climate change, what are their expected roles to overcome the adverse affects of the change are always included in Sheik Hasina’s international speeches, he added.

Bangladesh is well accepted as a friend country to all over the world and Sheikh Hasina is honored as a proficient leader, said Shahidul Haque.

After forming her present government in January 2014, Sheikh Hasina has already met most of the world important leaders through bilateral visits or talks in world forums. And everywhere we have seen the cordiality and warmth among the leaders to receiving her. They all have expressed their confidence and determination to work with her government.

Diplomacy is all about body language, and we have noticed the body language of acceptability and cordiality among the world leaders, said Shahidul Haque.

To answer another query of Banglanews the secretary of foreign affairs said, not that, East or West, rather the diplomacy of Bangladesh is concentrated in both East and West, both countries of neighboring and far away.

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman set “Friendship with all, enmity with none” as the fundamental principle of foreign relationship, and we are just following that, said Shahidul Haque.

BDST 1109, JAN 12, 2015