PM seeks 'comprehensive partnership' with S Korea

17 May 2010, 18:00 PM

Unb, Seoul

South Korean Environment Minister Maanee Lee calls on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her hotel suite in Seoul yesterday. Photo: PID

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has sought 'Comprehensive Partnership' with South Korea to further expand economic cooperation between Dhaka and Seoul. “Given the rapid growth and expansion of our trade, investment, and people-to-people contact, we would like to elevate our relations to the level of 'Comprehensive Partnership',” she said at a dinner hosted by Park Jin, chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Trade and Unification, at National Assembly yesterday evening. Hasina said both the countries have made painful sacrifices for freedom and democracy. “But, in one generation your great country has also achieved economic emancipation.” She said Bangladesh achieved independence after a bloody struggle in 1971 under the leadership of Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The prime minister recounted that before the father of the nation could entrench democracy and emancipate the people from economic deprivation, he was assassinated with 18 members of their family on August 15, 1975. “My younger sister, Rehana, and I were saved as we were abroad at the time. It was on 17 May, 1981 when I could come home with the popular support of the people.” Hasina said her life was a bitter struggle against military autocracy in pursuit of democracy. “I escaped 19 attempts on my life, including a grenade attack on 21st August in 2004 that left 22 dead and nearly 500 people injured.” The prime minister said, “My struggle continued, and for a time I again was exiled abroad. Again it was people's support that enabled me to return home.” Hasina said that to strengthen democracy, her government for the first time established all 44 parliamentary standing committees, offering chairmanship of seven to other parties. “I have reintroduced the prime minister's weekly question hour, so long shelved by the past government.” She said establishment of Korea-Bangladesh Parliamentarian's Friendship Association has also added to the strength of Bangladesh's democracy. She thanked Kim Choong-Whan for his visit to Bangladesh early this year. Hasina said she has requested Bangladesh's Speaker to establish a similar association in Bangladesh to interact with the Korean counterpart. She sought Korean committee's support in deepening the friendship in the coming days. “Let us be partners in promoting democracy globally,” she said. Prime Minister's younger sister Sheikh Rehana and Commerce Minister Faruk Khan were, among others, present on the occasion.