Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday asked India and Pakistan to exercise “restraint” to prevent further escalation in tensions. In Hasina's concluding speech in Parliament, she said the nuclear-armed neighbours needed to behave in a restrained manner and should avoid spiking up tensions. Advising the two nations to avoid conflict, Hasina said, “We want peace to sustain in South Asia. We never want any kind of conflict or tension to occur in South Asia. Such conflict between the countries in the same region will also hurt Bangladesh”. Hasina said her Government is striving to take forward the country towards peace and prosperity.