Bangladesh Reviews 101 Deals Signed With India Under Hasina Government

Bangladesh’s government is reviewing 101 agreements signed with India during the tenure of ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to determine whether any provisions conflict with the country’s national interests, Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni said Friday.

He made the remarks at a press conference at the National Parliament Media Centre following the third session of the 13th National Parliament.

Moni said the government wants to maintain friendly relations with neighboring India while placing Bangladesh’s national interests above all other considerations.

“Bangladesh and India will remain friends, but that friendship must not be allowed to undermine Bangladesh’s interests,” he said.

The chief whip said the agreements signed between the two countries during Hasina’s government are currently being reviewed. If any provisions are found to be contrary to Bangladesh’s interests, they will be identified and appropriate action will be taken, he said.

Referring to the Chattogram Port, Moni said the previous government had entered into various arrangements and agreements that, among other things, allegedly allowed ships from a friendly country to receive priority in unloading when vessels from both countries arrived at the port simultaneously.

The current government is seeking to withdraw from what it considers numerous agreements that are detrimental to Bangladesh’s interests, he said.

Prime Minister’s BRICS Invitation

Moni also said Bangladesh’s prime minister had been invited to attend the BRICS summit in India in her capacity as chair of BIMSTEC.

However, he clarified that the invitation was extended in an official capacity and was not a personal invitation to the prime minister.

Parliament Passes Six Bills

Briefing reporters on the third parliamentary session, the chief whip said the nine-working-day session saw six bills passed.

A total of 1,678 questions from lawmakers were answered during the session, including 15 questions answered directly by the prime minister, he said.

Moni also highlighted a bill concerning the transfer of property, saying it ensures that parents retain the right to use and possess property even after gifting it to their children during their lifetime.

He said government lawmakers were disappointed after opposition leaders walked out of parliament in protest against the bill.

Power Crisis

Addressing Bangladesh’s electricity shortage, Moni said it takes at least two to two-and-a-half years to build a new 500-megawatt power plant.

He accused the previous government of spending large amounts of public money by paying capacity charges to several power plants even when they were not generating electricity.

The current government has abolished the previous arrangement that provided liability exemptions to power-sector operators, he said.