BSS, Dhaka

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday reiterated her commitment to holding the upcoming general election in a free and fair manner as visiting State Secretary for International Development Cooperation at the Swedish Foreign Ministry Diana Janse called on her at her office.

The Swedish state secretary also said her country wants to see a free, fair, and inclusive election in Bangladesh, PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim told a press briefing after the meeting.

At the meeting, both leaders expressed satisfaction over the excellent relations between Bangladesh and Sweden.

Hasina said the Ukraine-Russia war should be stopped, and the money saved from ending the war should be channelled towards the welfare of mankind.

“Sanctions should not be placed on the transportation of food grains,” she said.

The premier said inflation, commodity prices, and goods transportation costs have gone up due to the war and sanctions.

She, however, said Bangladesh did not have a food crisis as local agriculturists are playing a great role in increasing food production.

Meanwhile, the Swedish state secretary praised Hasina for sheltering over 1 million displaced Myanmar nationals and said her government wanted dignified repatriation of the refugees.

The Swedish state secretary also said the Matarbari deep sea port will be a game changer for the development of Bangladesh.