Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Sunday said the government will seek foreign investment from whomever it can obtain.

“I need development, money, and investment. I will seek it from whomever I can get,” he told reporters after being queried about if the government has any difficulty in making a balance between India and China as both countries are keen to work as development partners of Bangladesh.

"We can seek investments from Japan, the ADB (Asian Development Bank), and also from China. China has assisted us in building the Padma Bridge and the Bangabandhu tunnel.”

Before the press conference, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma met the minister at his secretariat office in Dhaka.

Quader, also the general secretary of the Awami League, said, “It was very neighbourly of India towards us ahead of our parliamentary election. When the BNP wanted to foil the polls in collusion with a country, India stood by us.”

He said, “I think Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi have finally smashed the wall of confusion and mistrust. There is no reason for our relationship with India to be strained,”

Acknowledging the price hikes in commodities, the minister said bringing the high prices of commodities under control is a challenge.

 “Prices of commodities are on the rise, it is reality, and there is no way to deny it. Bringing the prices of essentials within people’s purchasing capacity is a big challenge.”

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave directives on the issue during the first meeting of the cabinet and they have started working on the matter, he added.