Parliament adopts thanksgiving motion on PM's Malaysia-China tour

Parliament today (27
June) unanimously adopted a motion expressing thanks to Prime Minister Tarique
Rahman for what lawmakers described as the "extraordinary success" of
his official visits to Malaysia and China.
The motion was
moved at the beginning of the day's sitting by LGRD Minister Mirza Fakhrul
Islam Alamgir and was passed by voice vote following a brief discussion.
Prime Minister
Tarique Rahman visited Malaysia and China from 21 June to 26 June and
returned home from China on Friday (26 June).
Placing the motion, Mirza Fakhrul said the tour was of great significance for
Bangladesh as it further strengthened the country's relations with Malaysia and
China.
He said the
Prime Minister concluded a number of agreements during the visit and helped
deepen bilateral ties on the basis of mutual respect.
"The
elected leader has established a strong national and international standing
after leading the long struggle against fascism," he said, adding that the
Prime Minister is working firmly for the welfare of the people and has set new
standards in governance.
The minister
also noted that, unlike former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who used to
receive public receptions before and after foreign visits, Tarique Rahman had
instructed that no such receptions be organised.
Highlighting
the outcomes of the China visit, Fakhrul said Bangladesh signed 17 memorandum
of understanding (MoUs) with China and that Chinese President Xi Jinping held
extensive and cordial talks with the Prime Minister.
He said both
Malaysia and China reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Bangladesh's
economic development and indicated their willingness to assist in resolving the
Rohingya crisis.
Finance
Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, speaking in support of the motion, said
the Prime Minister had introduced a new political culture by avoiding large
ceremonial receptions at airports during official visits.
He said the
Malaysia and China tour reflected Bangladesh's foreign policy based on mutual
respect, mutual interests, non-interference, and national sovereignty.
"The
Prime Minister has established a benchmark for Bangladesh's future relations
with the world, and the policy was consistent with the diplomatic principles
introduced by late President Ziaur Rahman," he said.
He said
discussions in Malaysia focused on Bangladesh's labour market, energy
cooperation, and trade interests, while talks with China covered infrastructure
development, reducing the bilateral trade gap, and increasing Bangladeshi
exports.
Leader of the
Opposition Dr Shafiqur Rahman also endorsed the motion, saying Bangladesh
should pursue a genuinely independent foreign policy based on equality and
mutual respect.
"The
country belongs to all of us. As the opposition, we assure the government of
our cooperation wherever it serves the national interest," he said.
Describing
Malaysia and China as long-standing and trusted friends of Bangladesh, he
stressed the need to diversify exports beyond the ready-made garments and
overseas workforce sectors through short-, medium-, and long-term planning.
Dr Shafiqur
also urged the government to place all major international agreements before
Parliament in the interest of transparency and accountability.
"We do
not want anyone to interfere in our independent foreign policy. The country's
interests must come first," he said.
He also expressed
the hope that Parliament would remain the centre of all major state affairs and
that both the government and the opposition would be judged by people through
their performance.
The motion,
adopted unanimously by voice vote, stated that Parliament expresses its
gratitude to Prime Minister and Leader of the House Tarique Rahman for the
"extraordinary success" of his 21-26 June visits to Malaysia
and China.
















