Dhaka, March 2 -- Bangladesh's primary concern in the ongoing Middle East conflict is the safety of its citizens, Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman has said.

Speaking at a press briefing on Monday amid controversy over Dhaka's stance on the Iran-US-Israel conflict, he said the government's position is "simple": the welfare of Bangladeshis in the region comes first.

"We do not believe war or conflict is a solution. We want the issue resolved peacefully through dialogue and diplomacy as quickly as possible," the minister added.

The remarks come after Bangladesh issued two statements on the conflict.

On Sunday, the government condemned violations of sovereignty by several Middle Eastern countries, naming Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qat...