On March 26, 1971, the undisputed leader of Bangladesh, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared Bangladesh's independence, who said, "From today, Bangladesh is independent. I call upon the people of Bangladesh wherever you might be and with whatever you have, to resist the army of occupation to the last."

On this auspicious day, I along with my countrymen here in Bandar Seri Begawan, pay the deepest homage to the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for his declaration of independence at a time when the people were ready to uphold it at any cost.

Following the declaration of independence, our three million martyrs shed their blood in the war of independence that continued for nine months (from March 1971 to December 1971 when victory was declared).

I stand here today to express my deepest respects to our war heroes, valiant freedom fighters and the common people who immensely suffered untold miseries and anxiety at refugee camps in India and at their own occupied homeland.

I also recall with heartiest admiration and gratitude our foreign friends, particularly the people and the then leaders of great India and Russian federation, United Kingdom, France and other governments and people across the world, who had extended their whole-hearted support to our war of liberation in 1971 and recognised our state as an independent sovereign one in South Asia.

Let me focus on our national achievements made over the last year, under the leadership of our honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who received the people's mandate to run the country on her second consecutive terms of office since 2014.

Her government has undertaken massive infrastructure projects such as inter-district highways connecting our industrial belts with main sea ports in Chittagong with four-lane motorways, metro-rail network at capital city Dhaka to ease traffic congestion, around six kilometres long dual-track railway and motorway bridge over river Padma connecting southern coastal regions with capital Dhaka, upgrading the existing airports in tourist city Cox's bazaar in our south-eastern zone allowing operation of direct international flights to Cox's bazaar, and the installation of modern security surveillance equipments at our major airports.

As soon as these projects are ready, the economic competitiveness of our national infrastructure will be elevated to a higher level.

With a population of 160 million at home supported by good quality infrastructure, both humane and physical, Bangladesh will be able to break the existing decade-long cycle of six per cent annual GDP growth trap. It aims to enter into the trajectory of higher growth rate of eight to 10 per cent very soon.

To sustain higher growth, our government has made investments into our national powergeneration sector and at the same time, made arrangements for the import of electricity with cross-border transmission lines from neighbouring India.

An oil pipe line is also being built to ensure its supply from India.

Our government is eyeing its eastern neighbour Myanmar, an energy-rich Asean country, to import gas from Myanmar Rakhine offshore reserves, which is only 200-300 kilometres away from our main industrial belts in Chittagong port city.

Bangladesh has made a policy decision to introduce Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to boost our economic growth. In this regard, a LNG terminal is being planned to operate near Chittagong.

Our Energy Ministry is working very hard to get the LNG terminal operational at the earliest.

Coal-fired power stations are under construction in Khulna, our second largest industrial belt.

The environmental standards are strictly maintained while constructing the first-ever coal fired power station at Khulna.

Our country's south-eastern coastal zones to the east of the mighty river Meghna and the central plain of the Ganges delta have progressed well economically as well as socially for better air, land and sea connectivities with global business hubs as this zone hosts two international airports in Dhaka and Chittagong, and the sea port in Chittagong.

However, our south western coastal districts remain backward. To bring this south west coastal region on par with the advanced areas and to ensure equal economic growth for all our districts, our government is rapidly implementing construction of an international airport at Bager-hat and another sea-port, our third one, at Payra, some hundred kilometres down Bager-hat.

Once these two mega-infrastructures become operational fully, the economic landscape of our south western coastal districts will improve to a great extent.

The government of the Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has established 100 special economic zones across the country.

Some of the special economic zones have been made open for country-specific foreign investments, notably from India, China, South Korea, Japan and so on.

These special economic zones are equipped with built-up industrial plots along with electricity, gas and water supply.

These economic zones are well connected to sea-ports and airports with overland highways, railways and riverways.

Let me say a few words on our relations with Brunei. Our state-to-state diplomatic relation is preceded by people-to-people contact for centuries with sea voyages from Bengal coast to Borneo Island passing through the Malaccan straits.

The monsoon, hot climate, sunny weather, green forest land, paddy cultivation, rivers and seashores are common to both Bengal delta, home to present Bangladesh and Borneo Island, home to Brunei Darussalam.

The nature, the geography and common cultural values bind our two peoples.

In October 2015, a four-member MP delegation, led by the Chairman of Bangladesh Parliament's Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, the honourable MP Dr Dip Moni, visited Brunei Darussalam.

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, received the delegation in audience at Istana Nurul Iman.

This reflects the warmth and depth of our growing relations with Brunei Darussalam. Dr Dipu Moni also held a bilateral meeting with the Speaker of the Legislative Council (LegCo) of Brunei Darussalam, YB Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Lela Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Rahman bin Dato Setia Haji Mohamed Taib.

Accompanied by her delegation, Dr Dipu Moni also paid a courtesy call on Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Dewa Dato Seri Setia Lim Jock Seng, Minister at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and the Second Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

She also took the opportunity of meeting Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman, Minister of Education, and congratulating him on his new portfolio in the new Brunei Cabinet Ministers.

The delegation was highly impressed with Brunei's national development, particularly its LegCo budget session, quality education system, rule-based management of expatriate workforce with a humane touch, and the preservation of rainforest, mangroves and wildlife and the urban architecture with symbolic mosques built across the Sultanate.

From Brunei's side, Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Major General Dato Paduka Seri Mohd Tawih bin Abdullah, Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF), visited Bangladesh at the invitation of Chief of Bangladesh Army General Abu Belal Shafiul Huq.

The RBAF Commander also paid a courtesy call on our honourable President, Md Abdul Hamid.

At the beginning of this year, the Commander of Royal Brunei Navy (RBN), First Admiral (L) Pengiran Dato Seri Pahlawan Norazmi bin Pengiran Haji Muhammad, made his first ever visit to Dhaka in connection with his participation of the Indian Ocean Symposium.

We expect some high-level visits from Brunei to Bangladesh this year, while our National Defence College delegation visit to Brunei is being worked out to take place in the second half of the year. This year, Dhaka is going to host the Asian Art Biennial in December 2016, where Bruneian artists are expected to take part.

Last year more than 100 Bruneian citizens received visas from our office for travel to Bangladesh for business, shopping, pilgrimage and training.

Bruneian visitors to Tablig Ijtema at Tongi, a place near the capital Dhaka, received the highest number of visits for Bangladesh.

Our trade with Brunei has been showing an upward trend over the years. Our export to Brunei increased from US$300,000 in 2012 to US$800,000 in 2015. Mostly consumer items like dry processed food, spices and daily worn clothes are being imported into Brunei.

Bangladeshi expatriates workers are the main customers of these imported items.

Meanwhile, Brunei's petroleum trading has made some commercial deals with our importer for supply of crude oil.

Our construction workers' remittance from Brunei to Bangladesh constitutes the lion share of our economic relations.

Our students are studying in Brunei on government and university scholarships at Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA) and Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB).

Last year more than 100 Bruneian citizens received visas from our office for travel to Bangladesh for business, shopping, pilgrimage and training. Bruneian visitors to Tablig Ijtema at Tongi, a place near the capital Dhaka, received the highest number of visits for Bangladesh.

Our trade with Brunei has been showing an upward trend over the years. Our export to Brunei increased from USD$300,000 in 2012 to USD$800,000 in 2015.

Mostly consumer items like dry processed food, spices and daily worn clothes are being imported into Brunei. Bangladeshi expatriates workers are the main customers of these imported items.

Meanwhile, Brunei's petroleum trading has made some commercial deals with our importer for supply of crude oil.

Our construction workers' remittance from Brunei to Bangladesh constitutes the lion share of our economic relations.

Our students are studying in Brunei on government and university scholarships at Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA) and Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB).

Last year, two Bangladeshi students received their PhD from UBD. They are now teaching at our university.

This reflects the new stream in our relations with Brunei.

Bangladesh likewise offers study opportunities for Bruneian students at its Engineering University, General University, Agriculture University and Medical Colleges.

We encourage Bruneian students to explore study opportunities at these universities and medical colleges.
Our two countries' defence academy -and national defence colleges receive participants regularly.

Presently, one mid-level army officer from Bangladesh is attending the staff college course at Royal Brunei Armed Forces Academy, while a mid-senior Land Force officer from Brunei is attending the National Defence College course 2016 at Mirpur, Dhaka.

In conclusion, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to His Majesty, as well as the Government and people of Brunei, for the opportunity given to our expatriates and the care and hospitality extended to them during their stay in this beautiful country.

I take this opportunity to offer my prayers for good health, long life and well being for His Majesty and other members of the royal family, and wish the people of Brunei continued happiness, peace and progress.

Long live Brunei-Bangladesh friendship.

Source:
@BRUDIRECT.COM

by BruDirect.com

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