BNP to protest 'compromising' treaties with India

I / Dhaka January 14, 2010, 15:26 IST

Rejecting the treaties signed during Premier Sheikh Hasina's India visit, Bangladesh's main opposition party BNP has said it will launch a series of protests "in and outside parliament" against the pacts that were made "compromising national interest".

The Khaleda Zia-led Bangladesh Nationalist Party also said it will end its long abstention from the legislature and its members will protest the government's policies, including the agreements with India.

The bilateral agreements include one on allowing India to use the Chittagong and Mongla seaports and the BNP termed it a question of "our life and death".

"This is a question of our life and death... BNP is not taking it lightly and soon our chairperson (Khaleda Zia) will announce the protest plans," senior BNP leader RA Gani told newsmen after a meeting of the party's highest policy making body at midnight last.

No official briefing was made following the meeting chaired by Zia but several BNP standing committee members later told newsmen that they had decided to wage a tough campaign "in phases", mobilising public opinion and explaining the "negative sides" of the treaties.

Meeting insiders said the party also decided to return to the parliament, ending their seven-month abstention.

"We are trying to wage a movement in and outside of parliament against the government's activities," BNP lawmaker Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, told newsmen.

The harsh criticism from BNP came even as foreign relation analysts and business leaders gave mixed reactions on her visit.

The party, that had yesterday termed Hasina's visit a failure, convened the first meeting of its newly-elected standing committee coinciding with the return of Hasina.

During the trip, India and Bangladesh signed three agreements related to security and cross border crimes and legal cooperation and two Memoranda of Understanding (MoU).

On her return yesterday evening, Hasina in a brief comment termed her visit "cent per cent" successful.

Ahead of her departure from New Delhi, she had justified the decision to allow India use two seaports saying: "In the present day world you cannot live with doors closed".   

Ahead of the late night meeting, the BNP termed Hasina's tour a "failure" saying it achieved nothing for the country.

"We don't see any gain from the prime minister's visit to India," BNP secretary general Khondaker Delwar Hossain told a party rally on Tuesday adding that the treaties signed during the visit would not bring any welfare for Bangladesh's people and rather make it an "Indian market".

Meanwhile, foreign relation analysts and business leaders came up with a mixed bag of reactions with some finding positive achievements and others saying they meant brought greater gain for India.

"The decision to offer India our port facilities will help enhancement of trade relations. The issue should be seen from an economic point of view instead of politics," president of Bangladesh Economic Society Professor QK Ahmed said.