Will resolve issues, if any, with some countries: FM Momen

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has said the government wants to find out the reasons if there is any "dissatisfaction" of some countries towards Bangladesh, stressing that they will try to address those issues.

"Our aim is to maintain good relations with all countries. Some countries may apparently be unsatisfied for certain reasons. We'll find out the reasons and will try to address that," he said while sharing New Year's thoughts with a small group of journalists.

Dr Momen said the government will try to maintain the basic principle – 'Friendship to all and malice towards none' – in terms of its relations with foreign countries.

"We'll try our best to maintain the policy of neutrality," said the Foreign Minister underlining that they have a big challenge to that end.

Dr Momen said his party – the Awami League – believes in democracy and very few gave blood for democracy.

"We'll promote it (democracy). No democracy is perfect. It's an evolutionary process. Nothing is perfect as such. We'll want perfection and our efforts will be there to strengthen the process," he said.

When people's voices and election results were ignored by the then Pakistani government in 1971, Bangladeshis waged the War of Liberation to uphold democracy, human rights and justice.

The foreign minister highlighted the achievements made in the last year including hosting two mega celebrations – the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 50 years of Bangladesh's independence."

He said the global figures who attended in-person and sent messages appreciated Bangladesh's achievements under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and pledged to stand by Bangladesh and the Prime Minister in its journey towards the next level of development.

The foreign minister said the government's efforts will be there to resolve the regional and bilateral problems peacefully.

Bangladesh has expressed its willingness to work together to further the relationship with Myanmar including through ensuring "early, voluntary, safe and sustained repatriation" of the Rohingyas to their place of origin in Rakhine state.

"As an immediate and friendly neighbour, the people of Bangladesh have been persistent in developing mutually beneficial relations with the people of Myanmar and will work together to further the relationship," said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a message of felicitation on the occasion of the Independence Day of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.

On the occasion of the Independence Day of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the people of Bangladesh expressed greetings and felicitations to the people of Myanmar and wished them peace and prosperity.

Bangladesh is now hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar district and Bhasan Char Island.

As per the PM's roadmap, Dr Momen said they will continue to work to create "gainful employment" at home and abroad.

He said the government will continue to work so that both employment and investment keep growing to make the economy more vibrant.

The foreign minister said they will put in more efforts to strengthen its public diplomacy as some enemies of the country are spreading misinformation.

"We'll tell our stories through those people who have wider credibility and those stories about Bangladesh will be based on facts," he said, adding that they will counter those with true facts.

Dr Momen said the government will engage Bangladeshi diaspora, think tanks and universities as part of making public diplomacy stronger based on true facts.