Dhaka: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative to rescue her country’s students who were stranded in Eastern Europe after the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
In a free TV interaction with ANI, Prime Minister Hasina, who is due to visit India on Monday, praised the Modi government’s initiative to provide Covid-19 vaccines to neighboring countries under Maitri vaccine program when the pandemic was rapid. Spread.
The Prime Minister of Bangladesh emphasized the closer cooperation between the two neighbors. She said there can be differences but they must be addressed through dialogue, adding that in a number of areas, India and Bangladesh have done precisely that.
However, it has identified two areas of special praise where the support of the Indian government has helped Bangladeshi citizens. Among these measures was the evacuation of Bangladeshi students, who were stranded in Ukraine and its neighboring countries after the outbreak of conflict like many Indians.
“I would really like to express my thanks to the Prime Minister that during this war between Russia and Ukraine, many of our students were stranded and they came to Poland to house them. But when you evacuate your students, the Indian students, they also brought you a clear friendly gesture,” Hasina said. I thank the Prime Minister for this initiative.”
She was responding to a question about the observations often made by Western observers in particular that there is a lack of cooperation between the SAARC countries. In response to another question about the Indian government’s Maitri vaccine programme, Hasina said it was a very “wise” initiative taken by Prime Minister Modi.
“I really thank Prime Minister Modi for this initiative, in this way… you know, he contributed vaccines not only in Bangladesh, but also in some South Asian countries, which is really very useful. It is a really wise initiative that he took and besides that, we bought the vaccines with our money. Many other countries have also contributed.
Hasina also provided details of the vaccination program in her country. Bangladesh has provided Covid-19 vaccines to 90 per cent of its population. “Usually, you know, people from our country, especially at the village level, and even in some cities as well, I found a lot of people very hesitant to take the vaccine. They don’t want to take… you know… a needle pinch or ‘sui nai lena’ hai’ So…but we have to go after them. We told them this is nothing but it’s going to save your life. That way we got everyone involved, so they make people…So it was a really good initiative, that’s the Maitri vaccine itself…Very good initiative. I I really support it.”
Hasina referred to India as a “tested” friend and said that this country stood by Bangladesh in its time of need, first in 1971 and then in later times as well.
“We always remember their contributions during our 1971 war. And besides that until 1975, when we lost all my family. So, then Prime Minister, you gave us shelter in India. Besides, you see, these two countries, we are neighbors, close neighbors and I always I give importance and priority to friendship with neighboring countries.”
She said that the relationship between the two countries should be in order to improve the conditions of their citizens.
Hasina said that even during the Covid-19 period, the Indian leadership showed its positive intentions as then President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Bangladesh as it celebrated its independence day.
“I really thank Prime Minister Modi and your distinguished President. They both visited Bangladesh when we were celebrating our dad the centenary of the birth of the nation and also our independence, 50 years of our independence day, our friendship with India. India recognized Bangladesh early on, so this interconnection, I think these are the Our main priority is to visit them at a time like this, even at the time there was the Covid-19 pandemic but besides they both honored us, they honored our people,” she said.