PM Hasina terms criticisms on her foreign trips as ‘mental sickness’
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has described the opposition block’s criticisms on her recent trips to India and China as ‘mental sickness’ and questioned their intentions.
“I went to India and returned after selling the country, I visited China and returned empty-handed… I don’t understand if they speak these things consciously, or if they have intentions to humiliate me?” she asked.
The prime minister was speaking at a press conference in her official residence, Ganabhaban, on Sunday. She hosted the programme to disclose the outcomes of her recent visit to China.
Sheikh Hasina said, “A total of 21 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and seven projects have been signed during the China trip. I have no idea if those who are still making criticisms are doing these consciously. They always spread negative statements and rumours against me, and I don’t give attention. Let them speak."
UNB editor Farid Hossain drew the prime minister’s attention to an Indian media report that claimed she returned empty-handed from China, and to discussions regarding her return before the scheduled time.
In response, Sheikh Hasina said she left her ailing daughter behind while embarking on the China trip and returned home as soon as her official works finished.
“The official works completed on the 11th… And I returned in the morning, though I was supposed to be back in the afternoon. I could not sense that such a huge fuss would create within only six hours,” she said, mentioning that she had shortened her foreign trips earlier too.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina went to Beijing on Monday last for an official visit to China at the invitation of Chinese premier Li Qiang. She returned home on Thursday.
During her stay in Beijing from 8 to 10 July, she had a meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping and a bilateral meeting with her Chinese counterpart Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People.
Following a delegation level bilateral meeting in the morning on Wednesday, Bangladesh and China signed and renewed some 21 cooperation documents, mostly MoU, eyeing stronger development and economic cooperation between the two Asian countries.
Bangladesh and China also announced seven outcomes, including conclusion of joint feasibility study on Bangladesh-China Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
A joint statement noted that Bangladesh and China have agreed to elevate the relations to a “comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership” from “strategic partnership”.
In the statement, the two sides have shared the view that early repatriation is the only way to resolve the issue concerning the displaced people from Myanmar, who have taken shelter in Bangladesh.
“Leaders of the two countries agreed to stay committed to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, carry forward the long-standing friendship, foster greater synergy between development strategies of the two countries, advance the Belt and Road Initiative, and elevate the bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership,” the statement said.
Bangladesh and China applauded their strategic partnership of cooperation established in 2016 and agreed that the China-Bangladesh relationship has reached a new height.
Besides, the two countries decided to take the opportunity of celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Bangladesh diplomatic relations in 2025 to plan together for the future development of bilateral ties and take the China-Bangladesh relationship to another new height.