DHAKA: The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Saturday announced their plan to go for movement to compel the Awami League-led grand alliance government to cancel all the deals with India that “go against Bangladesh’s interest”.     

“In order to cling to power, the government has signed agreement with a country (India). But, BNP will go for movement taking the people along against all the agreements that go against the interest of Bangladesh,” BNP Standing Committee member MK Anwar said.

He spoke of the party stand while addressing a roundtable discussion at Dhaka Reporters Unity, hot on the heels of a billion-dollar credit agreement signed during Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s Dhaka trip Saturday.

Jatiya Ganotantrik Party organised the roundtable on ‘Visit of Indian Finance Minister and Past, Present and Future of Indo-Bangla Relations’.   

Anwar said the ruling party has been protecting the interests of India instead of serving the interest of the people. “Awami League thinks blessing from a particular country would be enough for them to perpetuate power.”

He termed the Indo-Bangla US$ 1 billion line-of-credit agreement “contrary to the interest of the country”.

“Roads and other infrastructures would be built financed by India which will not protect the interest of Bangladesh,” he said.

“She (Sheikh Hasina) signed three agreements with India but did not disclose what those are all about,” he said.

Chaired by Jatiya Ganotantrik Party president Shafiul Alam Pradhan, the meeting was also addressed by Bangladesh Jatiya Party secretary-general Shamim Al Mamun, Islami Oikya Jote secretary-general Abdul Latif Nejami, National Democratic Party chairman Khandaker Golam Mortuza and National Awami Party (Bhashani) leader Anwarul Huq.

BDST 2030 HRS, AUGUST 7, 2010.