DOHA, Qatar, March 7, 2023 (BSS) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today asked the expatriate Bangladeshis to strictly abide by the laws of the countries they work for, sounding a note of warning that Bangladesh will not make its minimum efforts to save them for committing any crime.  

“It will not be tolerated anymore that the image of the country will be tarnished for offences of any person,” she said while addressing as the chief guest at a civic reception hosted to her by Bangladeshi expatriates staying at Bangladesh MH School here.

The Prime Minister also asked the expatriates to go abroad following the legal ways and send remittances through the banking channels for which the government is giving 2.5 percent incentive.

She said her government has taken Bangladesh in a dignified position through round the clock hard work over the years and the image is being hampered due to criminal acts abroad by some people.

“Bangladeshi expatriates must have to follow the existing laws and rules of the countries where they are staying like they do in their own country. I have made it clear we will not try to save those who will be engaged in criminal acts ,” she added.    

The Prime Minister said the image of Bangladesh is being tarnished for misdeeds of some people and the scope of sending more Bangladeshis abroad for jobs is being hampered or stopped.

“We have lost the scope of sending more people abroad,” she added.

She asked the expatriate Bangladeshis attending the reception to inform others that Bangladesh will not shoulder the responsibilities of crimes to be committed by anyone.

Sheikh Hasina told the expatriate Bangladeshis that they have to think Bangladesh is their own country and they should not tarnish its image.

The Prime Minister asked the Bangladeshi embassies abroad to look into the welfare and problems of expatriate Bangladeshis.

She called upon the expatriates to ask their relatives in Bangladesh to grow whatever they can by bringing every inch of land under cultivation as the global economic recession can hurt Bangladesh in any way.

The Prime Minister reiterated her call to exercise austerity in using electricity, gas and water and make savings as part of the preparation to avert any crisis.

In this connection, she said that she even turned her government residence Ganabhaban into a firm house by cultivating everything that include paddy, onion, garlic and other crops.

She said she had already harvested 46 maunds of onions from the Ganabhaban and is expected to harvest 40-50 maunds more.

Briefly describing the measures taken by her government in education, health, energy, human resources development and employment generation, the Premier said Bangladesh has made tremendous prosperity in the last 14 years.

“We are working to meet the demand of the people and we want to give them a beautiful and dignified life,” she said.

The Prime Minister said they have given electricity to every house, increased the education rate to over 75 percent, reached healthcare services to every doorstep and made Bangladesh self-reliant in food production.

But, the BNP-Jamaat alliance didn’t give anything to the people instead of making their fortunes through unbridled corruption, money laundering and establishing the reign of terror and militancy alongside resorting to torture, she said.

The Prime Minister said her government is now out to transform Bangladesh into a developed, prosperous and Smart Bangladesh by 2041 to be free from hunger and poverty as envisioned by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.