‘We are moving from commitment to implementation’, says PM

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday said his government, with a five-year programme to deliver, is now moving from commitment to implementation.

He made the remarks while inaugurating the fifth edition of the Bay of Bengal Conversation, organised by the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) in the capital.

The prime minister said the government’s priorities are national interests, policy continuity, economic stability and institutional reform.

He said Bangladesh is ready to play its part in ensuring that countries in the Bay of Bengal region “grow together, embrace mutual and reciprocal benefits, and citizens expand meaningful cooperation”.

“Bangladesh believes in dialogue, partnership and mutual respect,” he said.

Tarique said Bangladesh would put its national interests and sovereignty first.

“At the same time, we will work positively with all our regional and global partners. Because peace and harmony are the foundation of shared prosperity and development,” he added.

The prime minister said Bangladesh’s strategic location, ports, waterways and coastal economy offer significant opportunities to connect the country with the wider world through shipping, fisheries, tourism, energy and regional supply chains.

“Regionally, our shared geography should become a shared prosperity,” he said, stressing the need for deeper bilateral and multilateral engagement.

Tarique said Bangladesh could expand cooperation with regional and global partners in trade, energy, education, technology, climate and maritime affairs while opening new markets and creating more opportunities for young people.

“We can build stronger cooperation based on equality, fairness and justice. Geography has brought us together, and we are confident that people-to-people ties can take us further,” he said.

On the Rohingya crisis, Tarique said Bangladesh continued to host around 1.2 million refugees and remained committed to their early, voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable repatriation to Myanmar.

“It also requires addressing the root causes of the crisis, which started in Myanmar and must end in Myanmar,” he added.