Economic diplomacy would be major focus, says Hasan Mahmud

Newly-appointed Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud stressed the need for strengthening economic diplomacy to face economic challenges.

“We have to advance our economy, we need to expand trade,” Hasan Mahmud said during a view exchange meeting at the foreign ministry with the reporters on his first working day as the foreign minister.

“We are more dependent on the Western countries in terms of trade,” the minister said adding that the country has a huge possibility to expand trade with the east.

“We need to explore that market. We have also a big opportunity to expand trade with the countries in South America and Africa and need to explore that also. We need to deepen our ties with all.”

The minister said that maintaining friendship all in line with the country’s foreign policy, is a challenge as the world is becoming bipolar.

But he said that Bangladesh will stick to its foreign policy principle.

He ruled out any pressure from the Western countries saying that all the countries in the East and the West have expressed their willingness to work with us, with the government.

“At the end of the day, they are our development partners and we will work together,” he said.

In this connection, he also mentioned that all the ambassadors and high commissioners in Dhaka, including those from the US, UK and the European Union (EU), were present at the swearing-in ceremony of the newly-elected government’s cabinet in Bangabhaban to congratulate the current government.

Responding to a question, Dr Mahmud said the country will remain engaged with Myanmar to resolve the Rohingya crisis diplomatically.

“We hope this problem will be resolved diplomatically," the minister said adding that the government does not believe in solving issues with conflicts.

"We firmly believe that diplomatically it can be resolved," he said.

The foreign minister mentioned that the Rohingya influx to Bangladesh was not new and it happened during the pre-independence regime also.

“And many of them returned after those previous influxes,” he recalled.

"Keeping engagement with Myanmar, we hope to resolve the problem with the cooperation from others," he said.

He expressed his gratitude to the prime minister for appointing him as the minister of such an important ministry.

Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and Maritime Affairs Unit Secretary Rear Admiral (retd) Khurshid Alam were present at the time.

mirmostafiz@yahoo.com