BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia has claimed that the present government is working for the government of another country.
Her remarks came on Sunday in reference to the Tipaimukh dam issue in an interview broadcast on BBC Bangla Service.
Terming the incumbent government an 'India-friendly government', Khaleda said, "They [the government] say they are trying to resolve the issue diplomatically. But, in fact, they are handing Bangladesh's everything over to India secretly."
She said, "We've told them [India] many times, we've even written to them. We've also asked them to hold the issue and let the experts from both the countries look into the project. But they did not agree..."
"And our government is silent over the matter," she added.
India's state of Manipur on Oct 22 signed an agreement with state-owned NHPC Ltd and Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd to construct the 1,500MW Tipaimukh hydroelectric power project in the northeastern state.
BBC on Nov 18 reported that Manipur had signed the contracts to build the controversial dam on Barak river, which flows into Bangladesh as Surma. Bangladeshi media reported widely on the issue that triggered a nationwide criticism of the project.
Responding to a subsequent letter sent by the Bangladesh government inquiring about the project, India assured that the project would not affect the country negatively.
The Indian government had been assuring Bangladesh that it would not take any steps that might jeopardise the 'friendly relationship' between the countries. It also told Bangladesh that they were ready to hold talks on the issue.
But on Dec 4, without consulting Bangladesh, Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh declared that his country would go ahead with the construction of the hydroelectricity project.
Many environmentalists fear that the dam would adversely impact, and possibly even drown areas in Sylhet. On the other hand, if the dam stops water, Meghna, Surma and Kushiara and other branches of these rivers in Bangladesh will dry up in lean season.
However, following his Dec 3 meeting with the Indian prime minister to discuss apprehensions among certain quarters here about the project, prime minister's adviser Gowher Rizvi on Dec 5 rubbished the idea that construction of Tipaimukh dam would harm Bangladesh.
He said, "Notions about the adverse impacts of Tipaimukh dam on Bangladesh are baseless."
'GOVT DID NOT COOPERATE'
The main opposition chief squarely blamed the ruling Awami League for all the incidents taking place before and after the state of emergency imposed from Jan 11, 2007 and later BNP boycotting parliament.
She claimed that her party stopped attending parliament after being pushed to the brink by the ruling party.
"I ran in the 2008 general election though I knew it would not be a fair one. I thought a democratic government is better than a non-democratic one. I have been saying that I will cooperate with the government. But the government has been uncooperative since the first day."
Citing an example, Khaleda said the government did not broadcast the oath-taking programme of the BNP MPs in defiance of the age-old tradition.
She claimed on Sunday that the government did not accept even one of the 3,000 notices submitted by her party.
WAR CRIMES TRIAL
Demanding 'complete transparency' in the war crimes trial, the BNP chief said, "We are not taking sides. We want it, too. But this trial should meet the international standards. Trials cannot be held with a debatable person presiding as the judge."
BNP has since long been calling 'partisan' the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), which came into being for trying war crimes committed in 1971. The main opposition also called the attention of the United Nations secretary-general in this regard during his visit to Bangladesh last month.
The present government on Mar 25 last year formed the ICT, lawyers' panel and investigation agency to try the war criminals.
Her remarks came on Sunday in reference to the Tipaimukh dam issue in an interview broadcast on BBC Bangla Service.
Terming the incumbent government an 'India-friendly government', Khaleda said, "They [the government] say they are trying to resolve the issue diplomatically. But, in fact, they are handing Bangladesh's everything over to India secretly."
She said, "We've told them [India] many times, we've even written to them. We've also asked them to hold the issue and let the experts from both the countries look into the project. But they did not agree..."
"And our government is silent over the matter," she added.
India's state of Manipur on Oct 22 signed an agreement with state-owned NHPC Ltd and Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd to construct the 1,500MW Tipaimukh hydroelectric power project in the northeastern state.
BBC on Nov 18 reported that Manipur had signed the contracts to build the controversial dam on Barak river, which flows into Bangladesh as Surma. Bangladeshi media reported widely on the issue that triggered a nationwide criticism of the project.
Responding to a subsequent letter sent by the Bangladesh government inquiring about the project, India assured that the project would not affect the country negatively.
The Indian government had been assuring Bangladesh that it would not take any steps that might jeopardise the 'friendly relationship' between the countries. It also told Bangladesh that they were ready to hold talks on the issue.
But on Dec 4, without consulting Bangladesh, Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh declared that his country would go ahead with the construction of the hydroelectricity project.
Many environmentalists fear that the dam would adversely impact, and possibly even drown areas in Sylhet. On the other hand, if the dam stops water, Meghna, Surma and Kushiara and other branches of these rivers in Bangladesh will dry up in lean season.
However, following his Dec 3 meeting with the Indian prime minister to discuss apprehensions among certain quarters here about the project, prime minister's adviser Gowher Rizvi on Dec 5 rubbished the idea that construction of Tipaimukh dam would harm Bangladesh.
He said, "Notions about the adverse impacts of Tipaimukh dam on Bangladesh are baseless."
'GOVT DID NOT COOPERATE'
The main opposition chief squarely blamed the ruling Awami League for all the incidents taking place before and after the state of emergency imposed from Jan 11, 2007 and later BNP boycotting parliament.
She claimed that her party stopped attending parliament after being pushed to the brink by the ruling party.
"I ran in the 2008 general election though I knew it would not be a fair one. I thought a democratic government is better than a non-democratic one. I have been saying that I will cooperate with the government. But the government has been uncooperative since the first day."
Citing an example, Khaleda said the government did not broadcast the oath-taking programme of the BNP MPs in defiance of the age-old tradition.
She claimed on Sunday that the government did not accept even one of the 3,000 notices submitted by her party.
WAR CRIMES TRIAL
Demanding 'complete transparency' in the war crimes trial, the BNP chief said, "We are not taking sides. We want it, too. But this trial should meet the international standards. Trials cannot be held with a debatable person presiding as the judge."
BNP has since long been calling 'partisan' the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), which came into being for trying war crimes committed in 1971. The main opposition also called the attention of the United Nations secretary-general in this regard during his visit to Bangladesh last month.
The present government on Mar 25 last year formed the ICT, lawyers' panel and investigation agency to try the war criminals.
0 comments:
Post a Comment