Bangladesh to work closely with neighbours to curb terrorism

Jan 7, 2009, 9:58 GMT

Dhaka - Bangladesh's new civilian government assured Wednesday that it would work closely with neighbours to restore peace in South Asia curbing militancy and terrorism.

'We will take effective steps against militancy and terrorism in consultations with our neighbouring countries,' Dr Dipu Moni, the newly appointed foreign minister of Sheikh Hasina Wazed's cabinet, told reporters on her assumption to office.

Dipu Moni, the first woman foreign minister of the country, underscored the need for collective efforts from South Asian nations, almost all of which are battered by terrorism, to establish peace since militancy and terrorism are confined to geographical boundaries.

In her election campaign's agenda for change, Hasina had proposed a regional taskforce to fight terrorism in South Asia, with Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and other nations jointly working to face the challenges posed by terrorists - regional or domestic

Asked about her focus on foreign policy, Dipu Moni said the attention should not be focused on a particular area in the globalized world.

'Foreign policy should not be dealt on piecemeal basis, it should be looked into its totality,' she said against the policy of 'looking east' undertaken by the previous Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led alliance government of Khaleda Zia.

In one region there may be potentials for exporting Bangladeshi manpower, in another area there may be opportunities for improving the relations while in another region it may be urgent for peaceful cooperation, she said. 'We will peruse the policy of friendship with all, malice to none.'

The newly appointed Home Minister Sahara Khatun also sought cooperation from all concerned in rooting out extremism and terrorism.

'We will surely be successful to root out extremism, terrorism through effective measures against these evils,' Sahara, also the first woman home minister of the country, told reporters at her new office.

Following a landslide victory in December 29 polls, Hasina formed Tuesday a 32-member council of ministers to run the country for next five years. Her government started working from Wednesday.