Root out poverty from S Asia: Hasina
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday called for more concerted efforts by the South Asian nations to root out poverty from the region.
“Poverty is the main barrier to the development in the South Asian countries and we have to take concerted efforts to free the region from the curse of poverty,” she said.
Hasina made the remarks during her separate meetings with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed and Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani at the Board Room of Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre on the sideline of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting.
Hasina and the South Asian leaders discussed a wide range of issues of development, said PM's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad.
As the leaders lauded Hasina for her visionary leadership, the premier vowed to continue her fight for protecting civilization from the risks of climate change and establishing women's rights in every sphere of life.
Azad said the prime minister also discussed the preparations for the upcoming Saarc Summit with the president of the Maldives. The summit would be held at Addu Convention Centre on the Hithadhoo Island of Maldives on 10-11 November.
The South Asian leaders also congratulated Hasina as she has been awarded the prestigious South-South Award.
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, Ambassador at-Large M Ziauddin, Foreign Secretary Mijarul Quayes, among others, were present.
Meanwhile, Hasina attended a reception hosted by the Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma at the PCEC-Riverside Theatre Foyer in the afternoon.
Leaders of the Commonwealth states exchanged greetings and shared views and opinions on various regional and global socioeconomic issues during the reception, PM's Press Secretary Azad said.
Sheikh Hasina also met her Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong at the Board Room of Perth Convention and Exhibition Center (PCEC) on the sidelines.
She sought more Singaporean investment in various sectors of Bangladesh including its export processing zones (EPZ) under public-private partnership (PPP).
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