‘Bangladesh attaches highest importance to sovereignty and freedom to decide its own course of domestic and foreign action’ : MOFA

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh (MOFA) has said that like any self respecting country, it attaches highest importance to the values of sovereignty and freedom to decide its own course of action-both domestic and foreign for the betterment of its people.

The statement further reiterated that it expects respect from all concerned to Bangladesh’s sovereign rights to pursue its independent domestic as well as foreign policy.

The statement said that the MOFA notes the remarks made by the Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin in Beijing in the context of some recent comments made by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh.

In a regular press briefing in Beijing on Wednesday, the official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party, Global Times, sought the response of the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Webin on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s reported comments that the US sanctions on Bangladesh’s elite law enforcement agency Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) were puzzling. It further quoted Sheikh Hasina saying that Bangladesh is not afraid of sanctions and she has instructed the concerned ministries to stop buying anything from countries that impose sanctions on Bangladesh. Global Times also quoted Prime Minister Hasina as saying that the US has the power to topple the government in any country.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson had responded that ‘a certain country has long been interfering in the internal affairs of Bangladesh and many other developing countries under the pretext of democracy and human rights. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina spoke not just about the strong position of the Bangladeshi people, but also the mind of a large part of the international community, especially the developing world.’

Spokesperson Wang Webin further said that China stands ‘ready to to work together with Bangladesh and other countries to oppose all forms of hegemonism and power politics, uphold the UN-centered international system, the international order underpinned by international law and the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.’