Hasina floats five proposals for better Asia

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Bangla Tribune Desk
Published : 13:35, May 30, 2019 | Updated : 15:00, May 30, 2019

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was delivering a keynote speech at the Nikkei Inc’s International Conference titled “The Future of Asia” at a hotel in Tokyo on Thursday (May 30). FOCUS BANGLABangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina put forward five ideas to make a better Asia and said Bangladesh wants to resolve the Rohingya crisis through dialogues which is a lesson for the world to overcome chaos in a peaceful manner, reports state news agency BSS.
The prime minster proposed the ideas while delivering a keynote speech at the Nikkei Inc’s International Conference titled “The Future of Asia” at a hotel in Tokyo.
The theme of the conference is “Seeking a New Global order – Overcoming the Chaos.”
Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Bin Mohamad, Cambodian Premier Hun Sen and Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte also joined the conference.
While placing the ideas in front of the Asian leaders to make a better Asia, Sheikh Hasina said, “As governments, we have played our part in helping make this possible. Let me share some ideas with you for your reflection.”
In the first idea, Sheikh Hasina said today’s world is confronted with challenges and conflicts in many ways.
“So, we need to pledge to strengthen the world with greater openness, jointly address global challenges, safeguard fairness and justice and inject new impetus to cooperate using innovative ideas and measures,” she said.
The premier, in her second idea, stressed the need for partnership for economic development, saying, “Economies should take innovative practices surpassing alliances. Partnerships need to build on mutual trust and respect, common development and prosperity for a win-win strategy and to the benefit of people.”
In her third idea, she also said the Asian countries need to cooperate with each other in the spirit of openness, inclusiveness, equality, sharing benefits and joint contribution.
In the fourth idea, Sheikh Hasina said Asia’s future will depend on a sustainable and balanced development, improving international order and establishing win-win international relations.
“We have to face development challenges collectively. We may pool together as a group to boost world peace and stability, promote a multi-polar world and protect legitimate rights and interests of developing countries,” she said.
Putting emphasis on connectivity, the premier said it is the dynamism of connectivity that forms the cornerstone for peace and prosperity around the world. Infrastructure, free trade and liberal investment give foundation to Asian development, she said.
“We have seen unprecedented levels of wealth and opportunity, rising life expectancy, greater access to education, falling infant mortality and reductions in absolute poverty on a scale which would once have been hard to imagine,” she continued.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was delivering a keynote speech at the Nikkei Inc’s International Conference titled “The Future of Asia” at a hotel in Tokyo on Thursday (May 30). FOCUS BANGLAOn the Rohingya issue, Sheikh Hasina said despite severe limitations, Bangladesh offered shelter to over 1.1 million forcibly displaced Rohingyas as a responsible nation.
“We’re not only responding to a humanitarian call, but we are conscious about not allowing that crisis to escalate into chaos and regional instability,” she said.
The premier said Bangladesh has sought dialogue and consensus over discord, even in the face of extreme provocation and crisis. “In that, it is a lesson for other situations of crises in our region and globally to overcome chaos and discord with the power of peace, humanity and development,” she added.
Calling upon the Asian leaders to lead the world towards peace, the premier said the power of humanity and positive forces is bound to prevail.
“The global community is looking at us, the rising Asia, to innovate, aspire, and lead the world towards continued peace and prosperity,” she said.
“And standing here at the advent of Reiwa, the era of Beautiful Harmony, I can only be optimistic about the future. Harmony, peace and friendship will prevail over chaos, disruption and discord,” she continued.
In this context, Sheikh Hasina also said, “Our emphasis has always been to promote peace and progress that would directly benefit the people. In a multi-polar world, we would strive to strengthen the UN system and multilateralism for all countries. ”
The premier hoped that this Nikkei Forum will suggest how to strengthen the cooperation of Asian countries and how to deal with protectionism within multilateral trading regime,” she said.
Mentioning that the future of the world lies in convergence of interests common to humanity, Sheikh Hasina said as a member of the global community, Bangladesh will continue to work with all friends and partners to ensure a stable and sustainable world order for the future generations.
“It gives me hope to see that despite many challenges and hardships confronting us globally, we have kept expanding the frontiers of knowledge, opening new horizons to step beyond the realms of mother earth and move towards a true space age,” she continued.
She came up with the opinion that the artificial intelligence and other technological marvels are complementing abilities of all manifold to reach greater heights of human civilization.
The prime minister said human civilizations have suffered the horrors of war, and the scourges of nature, and yet flourished.
“I’m confident that the daunting challenges that confront us now, will ultimately produce positive outcome through strong, rational and responsible leadership and through partnership among nations.”
Recalling Japan’s recognition after independence, she said, “Bangladesh shares a special relationship with Japan that goes back to the days of our struggle for independence and Japan’s recognition of Bangladesh as an independent country on 10 February 1972.”
In a question-answer session upon completion of her keynote speech, the premier said that Bangladesh will welcome any ideas of investment in any sector proposed by the Japanese.

/pdn/
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