Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said her vision is to turn Bangladesh into a poverty-free country imbued with the ideology of democracy and secularism.

Addressing a reception at Westminster in London yesterday, she said her country was following Westminster-style of democracy and had been working hard on strengthening its democratic institutions.

Talking about secularism, Hasina said people from all religious faiths have the freedom to practice the rituals of their religions, and that was enshrined in Bangladesh's constitution.

Some 30 British MPs, including Rushanara Ali, Tulip Siddiq and Rupa Huq, attended the reception hosted by British Labour Party politician Keith Vaz, said a press release of Bangladesh High Commission in London.

Hasina recollected with gratitude the British support for Bangladesh during its tumultuous birth and in her fight to establish democracy in the country.

She also recalled how the British MPs stood by her during the 2007-2008 tenure of a caretaker government, which had refused to let her enter Bangladesh.

But when the international and local pressure mounted, she had returned home and forced the government to hold parliamentary elections, the PM told the reception.

In his welcome address, Keith Vaz praised Hasina for her courageous work to establish a strong Bangladesh and said it was a great honour to have her at the programme.

The PM is definitely a proud woman who herself has stood out setting many examples for others, he added.

Earlier, Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow greeted Hasina when she reached the reception venue.

Tulip Siddiq, the Bangladesh-origin Labour MP and niece of the PM, said she had learnt many lessons from her auntie and that had helped her get success in the polls.

PM's ICT Affairs Adviser Sajeeb Wajed Joy, who was specially invited to speak at the event, said Bangladesh made great strides in the IT sector with villages now stay connected through internet.

Anne Maine, an MP of the Conservative Party, also spoke about the age-old friendship between the two countries.