Govt prioritises national interest, has moved away from submissive foreign policy towards India: LGRD adviser
We do not believe in any foreign relations that compromise national interests. Future relations will continue based on fairness and national priorities, he says
The government has moved away from a submissive foreign policy towards India, prioritising national interests instead, said Local Government, Rural Development, and Cooperatives (LGRD) Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan today (11 December).
Speaking at the closing session of an international workshop on Financial Inclusion and Rural Transformation held at the Lalmai Auditorium of the Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development (BARD) in Cumilla, the adviser said, "We do not believe in any foreign relations that compromise national interests. Future relations will continue based on fairness and national priorities."
During a media briefing following the event, he also discussed reforms in local government elections, emphasising that assigning additional responsibilities to government and administrative officials to manage the work of local representatives has become increasingly challenging.
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He noted that the Local Government Reform Commission has acknowledged this issue.
Once the reform and Election Commission finalise their work, steps will be taken to address these challenges.
Regarding the formation of the Cumilla division, he mentioned that discussions have been held at higher levels. He described it as a significant issue that requires consultation with stakeholders before any decisions are made.
The event was chaired by Saif Uddin Ahmed, additional secretary of the Government of Bangladesh and Director General of BARD.
Dr Khushnood Ali, head of the research division at AARDO, addressed the event virtually as a guest speaker.
The workshop hosted 20 senior officials from 12 countries, including Sri Lanka, Egypt, India, Ghana, Zambia, Namibia, Gambia, Pakistan, Oman, Malaysia, Kenya, and Bangladesh.
The two-week workshop aimed to enhance the capacity of policymakers and financial service providers from AARDO member states in implementing rural financial inclusion programs to achieve sustainable development goals.
