President welcomes Khaleda Zia’s release, suggests earlier action could have saved Sheikh Hasina
President Ranil Wickremesinghe has welcomed the release of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia from jail, commenting that an earlier release could have saved Sheikh Hasina her premiership.
The President was addressing the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Summit 2024 at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel in Colombo today, when he reflected on the assistance Hasina had offered Sri Lanka during a time of need.
“I don’t want to speak about the politics of Bangladesh, a friendly country, but it had to erupt at some time. While Sheikh Hasina has left, I still remember her because she gave us $200 million when we were really in need of money. So I think it’s only fair to say some good word about a person who’s really down at the moment,” President Wickremesinghe said.
He went on to comment on the impact of timely political decisions. “I also welcome the fact that Khaleda Zia had been released from jail. If Sheikh Hasina had done it long ago, she would have still been Prime Minister,” he stated.
President Wickremesinghe expressed his hope for tranquillity and stability in Bangladesh, emphasizing the importance of peace in the region.
His comments were part of a broader discussion on global political developments and their impact on Sri Lanka’s approach to achieving Sustainable Development Goals.
The President was addressing the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Summit 2024 at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel where he outlined Sri Lanka’s commitment to achieving sustainable development goals and reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2040.