Voicing her firm determination to find out the roots of recent terror acts in the country, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday told her Japanese counterpart Shinjo Abe that a consensus has developed among the people of Bangladesh against terrorism.

The Prime Minister said this during a meeting with Abe on the sidelines of Asia-Europe Summit (ASEM).

‘A national consensus has developed in Bangladesh as intelligent and conscious people are very active to overcome the situation,’ she told the Japanese Prime Minister, reports UNB.

Emerging from the meeting, PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim said Abe expressed a strong determination and solidarity with Bangladesh to combat terrorism.

Sheikh Hasina reiterated her condolences for the Japanese nationals who fell victim to the recent terror attack in a Gulshan restaurant.

Abe assured his Bangladesh counterpart of his government’s determination to continue all the ODA projects and sharing information to know the background of terror attacks in Bangladesh.

He also expressed gratitude to Sheikh Hasina for showing her immense sympathy and solidarity to the families of the victims after the Gulshan attack.

Condemning the barbaric attack, Abe said the ASEM will deliver a strong message that they will not tolerate terrorism and denounce in one voice that terrorist act.

Hasina said the people of both Japan and Bangladesh along with the citizens from a number of friendly countries who were working for the development of Bangladesh have lost their lives in the Gulshan incident.

‘We consider Japan a tasted friend and development partner. So, I have given instruction to all the authorities concerned to ensure the safety and security of the people, including the Japanese nationals, who are working in various sectors in Bangladesh,’ she said.