Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has instructed the ambassadors and diplomats of Bangladesh appointed in various countries to strengthen economic diplomacy to increase trade and commerce with various countries to sustain Bangladesh’s transition from a less developed country.

He said, ‘Bangladeshi diplomats working in different countries should be active in strengthening the economic diplomacy in addition to brightening the image of the country.’

Yesterday, Monday, the Prime Minister gave this instruction at a regional ambassadors’ conference held at his residence in Doha with the participation of Bangladeshi diplomats stationed in the Middle East countries.

He said that since Bangladesh is going to become a developing country, it is necessary to pay attention to the countries where Bangladesh can increase its trade.

The Prime Minister said, ‘You have to negotiate and compromise with all countries. So that we can survive as a developing country, move forward and become a developed country in the future.’

He said, once diplomacy was a political issue, now it is an economic issue. ‘So, wherever we are operating (in different countries), we need to find trade and business opportunities, so that we can increase our exports and imports of products at competitive prices.’

Sheikh Hasina said, ‘There is a demand for our products, so identify the places where there is an opportunity to market our products.’

Referring to Bangladesh’s policy to maintain good relations with all countries, the Prime Minister said, the main basis of our country’s foreign policy is ‘friendship with all, not enmity with anyone’.

He said, Bangladesh will maintain friendly relations with all. But when wrongdoing happens, Bangladesh must speak out by maintaining friendly relations, as it did with Myanmar.

Sheikh Hasina also said, ‘…we have given shelter to the Rohingyas for humanitarian reasons, but we have not engaged in conflict with Myanmar. Bangladesh is making diplomatic efforts to repatriate the Rohingyas.’

Minister of Foreign Affairs at the conference. AK Abdul Momen, Education Minister. Dipu Moni and Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi and others were present.

The Prime Minister is currently in Qatar to attend the Fifth United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries (LDC-5). He arrived in Qatar last Saturday at the invitation of Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres. The Prime Minister is scheduled to leave for Dhaka on Wednesday.