Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has described her recent three-nation visits as very important, saying it brightened further Bangladesh's image in international arena, reports agencies.
"My visits to Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and Australia took place within a short time and all of them are very important . . . it's my firm belief that Bangladesh's image has been brightened further in the international forum through it," she told a crowded press conference at Ganabhaban Wednesday afternoon.
The Prime Minister said the first leg of the tri-nation tour took her to Saudi Arabia's Dammam on April 15 at Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud's invitation to the concluding ceremony of a joint grand military exercise named "Gulf Shield-1".
"I also exchanged greetings with the Saudi King and other heads of state and government," she said.
Sheikh Hasina said her six-day UK visit to join the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2018 was of high importance from the perspective of member countries and particularly Britain against the backdrop of BREXIT.
On the sidelines of the CHOGM, the Prime Minister said, she also held bilateral meeting with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi and exchanged views with a number of heads of the government including her British and Canadian counterparts.
Sheikh Hasina said Australian Premier Malcom Turnbull's invitation took her there to join the Global Summit of Women 2018 when she was conferred with the prestigious Global Women's Leadership Award-2018 for her leadership in expansion of women education and creating women entrepreneurship in Bangladesh and Asia-Pacific region.
Hasina said the people of Bangladesh will surely vote in favour of Awami League this time too if they do not want to push the country to the path of destruction like in 2001.
Responding to a question whether the government would take any initiative to bring BNP to the election, she said a democratic system is there in Bangladesh and it will be the absolute decision of a political party whether it will participate in the election or not.
"I cannot impose my decision on any party..., I cannot say to any party that you've to participate in the election," she said.
Hasina mentioned that BNP did not participate in the 2014 election and they tried to resist the election through vandalism and killings.
"About winning the upcoming election, I'll purely rely on the verdict of people. If they (people) think the development spree of the country should continue, then they'll cast their votes for the 'Boat', and we'll be there in power again," she said.
About BNP's demand to release Khaleda Zia from jail, Hasina said it was not she who sent Khaleda Zia to jail. "The court pronounced its verdict. It won't work placing demand to me, she [Khaleda] went there as per the course of law. They (BNP) have to fight back as per the course of law to free her from there," she said.
The Prime Minister criticised the 'big' lawyers of BNP who failed to prove that Khaleda did not embezzle money from an orphanage trust.
Replying to a question about bringing back BNP acting chairperson Tarique Rahman from London, Hasina said the government will surely try to bring him back as a convicted criminal.
About the economic pressure on Bangladesh for over a million Rohingyas living in the country, the Prime Minister admitted that there will be a pressure.
"For that, we've taken a Tk-25.00 billion project...we've already started the work, we're getting support and cooperation from all. So, there'll be no big problem for us," she said adding, "The people of Bangladesh are well-known for their hospitality and humanity...I don't think we've to face huge pressure for it."
