Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said that the aim of her government was to ensure peace in the country.
"Our government's aim is to ensure a better life for people where they could live in peace and happiness," she said when a delegation of the European Union (EU) Parliament met her at her official residence Ganabhaban.
The prime minister’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting, reports UNB.
During the meeting, the delegation members termed Sheikh Hasina as "an example for women empowerment."
In response to their appreciation, the prime minister said: "As the government has taken numerous programs for their [women] empowerment, the women of the country are now participating in every field along with their male counterparts and getting their due share. Women are doing very well in every sector."
She also mentioned that the government has made it mandatory to recruit 60% women as primary school teachers.
Talking about the existing excellent communal harmony in the country, Sheikh Hasina said people of all religions are living in peaceful coexistence in Bangladesh.
A section of people, the prime minister mentioned, had tried to create disturbance to hamper the communal harmony in the country.
"But, this section of people could not succeed due to the zero-tolerance policy of the government."
Hasina said the 1.1 million Rohingya people who came from Myanmar is a great burden for Bangladesh as the country already has 160 million people on its small piece of land.
About the election process, she said, the government has ensured transparent ballot boxes and voter lists with photographs.
Regarding the relation with neighbouring countries, Hasina said Bangladesh has good ties with its neighbours, including India, China and Pakistan as the government follows Bangabandhu's foreign policy “friendship to all, malice to none.”
"We also have diplomatic ties with Pakistan though we attained independence from it. India and China are our development partners, they are investing in Bangladesh to help up us develop the country," she said.
The prime minister said that the EU is the biggest destination of Bangladeshi readymade garments and recalled that the EU granted quota free access of Bangladeshi RMG during the 1996-2001 rule. "Many EU countries are now investing in Bangladesh," she said.
She appreciated the EU for their continued support towards Bangladesh in carrying on the democratic process.
Ryszard Czarnecki, ElinaTheocharous, ChristelleLetard, NikolayBarekov, Agnicszka Scigaj, Henri Malosse, Madhu Sharma, Guillaume Pradoura and Hazel Lincy Ebenezer were members of the delegation.
