Hasina in crusade against extremism, terrorism
Bangladesh envoy tells US senator
DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENT
With zero tolerance, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is in a crusade against violent extremism and terrorism, Ambassador to Washington Mohammad Ziauddin told a United States senator on Tuesday.
During the meeting with Republican Senator Ron Johnson, the envoy said that Dhaka is deeply engaged with the USA and other friendly countries to counter terrorism to ensure democracy and development, said a press release forwarded yesterday by the Bangladesh embassy in Washington.
They also discussed wide range of issues including bilateral trade and economic cooperation.
Senator Johnson of Wisconsin is a member of the US Senate Committees on Budget, Foreign Relations and Commerce, Science and Transportation.
The ambassador briefed Senator Johnson on Bangladeshs growing economy as well as development activities under the government of Sheikh Hasina.
Due to her own traumatic experience, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is determined to weed out all kinds of extremism and terrorism in Bangladesh and beyond, he said.
On women empowerment, Ziauddin said that more than four million workers of Bangladeshs apparel industry are women who are immensely contributing to society by poverty alleviation and containing the menace of extremism.
Responding to a query from the senator, the envoy said that the economic growth rate of Bangladesh was recorded at 7 per cent last year and that has been estimated at 7.5 per cent for this year.
Moreover, he claimed that Bangladesh could maintain a steady growth rate above 6 per cent for a number of years.
To further increase Bangladeshi exports, Ziauddin sought duty free quota free (DFQF) market access to the US market.
