By NNN-Xinhua,
Dhaka : Bangladeshi caretaker government Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said the country needs to readjust its foreign policy with the present circumstances as a new era begins in Asia.
He said Asia is progressing fast in an unprecedented speed. So, the policies of Bangladesh need to be realigned with the global changes. Otherwise, the country would lag behind, a foreign office press release quoted him as saying on Sunday.
The foreign adviser said the nation should come out of the clap-trap of donor-recipient relationship, which he termed as a legacy of the past.
Iftekhar said: “Perhaps, we do not realize that there is more reverse transfer of resources to those developed countries, who buy from us. We pay many times more in duties to them, than we receive in aid.”
On the other hand, it is the booming economies of Asia that might help shape the future of Bangladesh. Power players of contemporary times are China, Japan, South Korea, ASEAN, India and Gulf states, he added.
Iftekhar said: “We must be vigorous in strengthening our linkages with these actors and the government has already begun the process and future governments will hopefully continue it.”
Iftekhar said: “The problem of food shortages could be solved by procurement largely from these nations.”
He said the government must continue to maintain ties with the United States and Western Europe. But Russia, Central, South and South East Asia, and Middle and Far East are opening up new possibilities, he added.