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PM for strong armed forces to ensure peace

BSS, Dhaka
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said a country like Bangladesh needs strong armed forces not necessarily for any war but also to establish peace and save its territory from any aggression.
Patriotic armed forces would always be with the people to meet their hopes and aspirations and alleviate poverty, a determinant factor in establishing global peace, she said.
The prime minister made the remarks when the commandant of National Defence College (NDC), its faculties and staff and new graduates of its National Defence Course and Armed Forces War Course made a courtesy call on her at her Tejgaon office in the capital yesterday.
Some 64 military and civil officials from home and abroad took part in
the year-long NDC courses. Of them, 26 foreign military officials were from Egypt, Nigeria, China, India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Tanzania.
NDC Commandant Lt Gen Mollah Fazle Akbar also spoke on the occasion while PM's Adviser to Defence Affairs Maj Gen (retd) Tariq Ahmed Siddiqui and senior civil and military officials were present.
Congratulating the NDC graduates, Hasina said the main objective of Bangladesh's Liberation War was to establish democracy and an exploitation-free society where every person will enjoy the benefit of freedom. "Braving various odds, we have been trying hard to ensure these principles in our politics, economy and governance systems," she said.
Pointing out her government's constant efforts to increase the participation of Bangladesh Armed Forces in the LIN
peacekeeping missions, the prime minister said, "The strategic geographic location of Bangladesh made it an important actor in the global politics."
Bangladesh is playing a major role in promoting regional integration and peace, she said adding, "Bangladesh can work as a bridge between the East and the West."
"However there remain many challenges in ensuring continuing growth and development," she said hoping that the NDC graduates on completion of the courses will be better prepared to overcome those challenges.
Congratulating the foreign cadets, Hasina said their year-long stay in Bangladesh helped them to make many Bangladeshi friends. "This empathy and appreciation will live forever," she hoped.
She also hoped that the NDC
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FROM PAGE 3 graduates will work to spread the same cooperation across their country and also among friendly countries that they received in NDC.
Saying that Bangladesh is proud of its armed forces, the prime minister said the members of these forces have earned very good reputation internally as well as internationally.