PM seeks UK’s support for rail lines from Padma Bridge to Payra Port

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday sought cooperation from the UK in constructing railway lines from the Padma Bridge to Payra Port saying that the UK has huge experience in the railway sector.

The prime minister met with the outgoing UK High Commissioner Alison Blake at her Jatiya Sangsad office on Tuesday.

Hasina's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed the reporters after the meeting.

The British high commissioner highly appreciated Bangladesh for its tremendous development in women empowerment.

In reply, the prime minister said it was initially a tough job to empower women, but now things are on track.

Sheikh Hasina and Alison Blake expressed satisfaction over the existing relations between the two countries.

Outgoing UK High Commissioner Alison Blake, left, and Foreign Minister Abdul Momen, right, during a meeting at the latter’s office in Dhaka on Tuesday, March 5, 2019 PID

The prime minister recalled that Bangabandhu first landed in London in 1972 after his release from Pakistani jail and had a meeting with the then UK prime minister Edward Heath.

Alison Blake said her country will work with Bangladesh on the climate change issue.

‘Return all convicted criminals’

In a separate meeting, Foreign Minister Abdul Momen has urged the UK to send back all criminals convicted by Bangladesh courts and are now living in the UK.

"You should send them back...all the convicted criminals by our courts," he told the outgoing British High Commissioner Alison Blake without mentioning any names.

While talking to reporters at his office, the foreign minister said he conveyed to the British envoy that they should send back all convicted criminals if they claim that their justice system is fair and believe in law and fairness.

"We have a responsibility to enforce our verdicts," said Momen.

Convicted BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman has been living in London for the last nine years.

War criminal Chowdhury Mueen-Uddin, convicted for committing crimes against humanity in 1971 Liberation War, has also been living in the UK.