No deal with India against country`s interest: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said no agreement or MoU signed with India during her recent New Delhi visit is detrimental to the country`s interest.

She said the statement of a vested quarter terming the instruments as against the country`s interest is untrue, imaginative and out of ignorance to mislead the people of the country.

The Prime Minister was replying to the questions of the parliament members during Prime Minister`s Question Answer Session in the parliament today with Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.

The Leader of the House said Bangladesh is an independent and sovereign state which was liberated by Awami League at the call of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in exchange of huge sacrifice.

"So, the Awami League can not sign anything against country`s interest," the Prime Minister said in reply to a question from female member in reserve seat Fazilatun Nesa Bappi.

The Prime Minister said her government is sincerely working for signing of the Teesta water sharing agreement as the deal is very important for Awami League government. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also assured that the Teesta deal would be signed during the tenure of the incumbent governments of the two countries, she said.

The Prime Minister said the 35 agreements/ MoU signed between the two countries would play a very positive role in improving the living standard of the people of Bangladesh.

Replying to a supplementary question from Bappi the Prime Minister said Bangladesh has also defence agreement with other countries including China, Russia, Kuwait, Qatar and UAE.

The defence agreement with China was signed during the regime of BNP keeping the people completely in the dark and without any discussion in the parliament, the Prime Minister said.

Responding to a supplementary question from Jatiya Party member Fakhrul Imam the Prime Minister said whatever she has done was for welfare of the people and country`s development.

The motto of Bangladesh`s foreign policy is guided by the Bangabandhu`s directive- `Friendship with all, Malice to None`. The government is maintaining good relations with all countries including India as per the motto, the Prime Minister said.

Source : BSS