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Bangabandhu research center for diplomacy to be built at Sugandha


Published : 25 Sep 2020 09:40 PM | Updated : 26 Sep 2020 01:25 AM

The foreign ministry has decided to establish a “Bangabandhu Research Center for Foreign Policy and Diplomacy” at the Foreign Service Academy - Sugandha.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Friday said this was to keep Bangabadhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s association with Sugandha alive in the minds of the successive generations.

This building, Sugandha, bears the rich memory of the Father of the Nation. This was his first office as President and then Prime Minister of independent and sovereign Bangladesh. From this office, he took many important decisions on both domestic and international issues, the foreign minister said.

He said this will be a Center of Excellence to conduct quality research on the life and works of Bangabandhu as well as Bangladesh Foreign Policy strategy and Diplomacy.

“Last year, we established “GonoHottha Corner” or Genocide Corner in this building as Pakistani occupation leadership gave orders for genocide known as “Search Light” operations from here that killed millions.”

The foreign minister was delivering the keynote speech at a commemorative event of the historic maiden speech delivered by Bangabandhu at the UN General Assembly on Sep 25 in 1974.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina virtually joined the event and inaugurated the newly developed infrastructure of the Foreign Service Academy.

Sheikh Hasina in her first tenure in 1996 gifted the building for the use of the foreign ministry as its training academy.

“The structure and architecture of this new building is eye-catching with all modern facilities and we expect that, like the quality of its architecture, the new foreign service academy would produce outstanding diplomats, who would dedicate themselves to the service of the people with empathy, commitment and with professionalism,” the foreign minister said. State Minister for foreign affairs MdShahriarAlam said the Foreign Service Academy is a “blessed venue as it boasts of the memory of the greatest Bangali of all times our Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's footprint”.

“Sugandha, which now houses the FSA was the first Ganabhaban of Bangladesh. Bangabandhu's meetings with Pakistani authorities before our independence was held in one of the rooms of this academy in the turbulent days of March, 1971,” he said.

“His unmoved stance for an independent Bangladesh inspires us in the Foreign Ministry even today. Bangabandhu took many foreign policy decisions in this premises. We feel proud to train our diplomats in this blessed seat of diplomacy.”

“Diplomacy is the first line of defence, we are committed to fortify our sovereignty and national interests.  We are now putting all our efforts to create a vibrant and positive image of our beloved motherland across the globe,” he said. “Under your (Sheikh Hasina) able leadership, we have established 20 new Bangladesh Missions abroad in the last ten years to enhance our diplomatic representation. In the birth centenary of Bangabandhu, Bangladesh’s flag proudly flutters in the sky of 62 countries,” he said.