Prime minister Sheikh Hasina vowed Sunday that she would banish militancy from Bangladesh at any cost, making it a "country of peace" in South Asia. "There is no place for militancy in Bangladesh," she told journalists from ethnic Bangladeshi community in New York.

"We do not want war with anyone. But our defence should be strong," she said, speaking of plans to reorganise the armed services. Hasina said she would introduce constitutional provisions to prevent any future military intervention in politics and in governance.

Asked on the trial of former army chief Moeen U Ahmed and former chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed, she said she had never been vengeful. "Is it right to bite the dog if it bites you?" she quipped. Replying questions on maritime disputes with neighbours, she would rather deal with the issues through discussions than pick up a fight. "Why will we squabble? We have settled the water sharing of the Ganges through bilateral discussion," she said.

On 'crossfire' she said, "I do not believe in extrajudicial killings. But if anyone launches an armed attack (on a law-enforcer), then none can get killed like sitting ducks." About the Dec 29 election outcome comment of Abdul Jalil, the former general secretary of her party, in London she said, "Has he been elected in the same way? He should quit as member of the parliament before making such statements." Hasina said that food security was the biggest problem of Bangladesh. But she said she was hoping to attain autarky as her government did in the previous tenure.

-bdnews