Unresolved issues: PM expects positive response from India

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today told parliament that she expects a positive response from India over various disputed issues including Teesta water-sharing agreement before her visit to the neighbouring country in early October.

“We’re optimistic that all disputed issues between the countries will be resolved soon. It is expected that we’ll get a positive result over the aforesaid issues before my visit to India,” she told the parliament responding to a question from Jatiya Party MP Mujibul Haque.

The prime minister is scheduled to visit India on October 3-6 next to attend India Economic Summit of the World Economic Forum to be held in New Delhi on October 3-4.

Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi are scheduled to sit in a bilateral meeting on October 5.

About Teesta water sharing, the prime minister said her government’s diplomatic efforts are on to sign agreement over water sharing of Teesta River. The matter is being placed in the highest political levels of the two countries, she said.

“It hasn’t been possible to sign the agreement so far due to the internal politics of India. However, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Bangladesh gave assurance to resolve the Teesta water-sharing problem with the assistance of the Indian State governments concerned,” she also said.

Myanmar dilly-dallying Rohingya repatriation despite deal

The premier also told parliament that Myanmar is dilly-dallying to repatriate Rohingyas although they signed bilateral agreements on the pressure of the United Nations and other international communities.

Myanmar was supposed to take steps to create a conducive situation including ensuring security, freedom of movement and work opportunities for Rohingyas in Rakhine for their sustainable repatriation, Hasina said while replying a question of Awami League MP Rumana Ali.

“In the light of the failure of Rohingya repatriation for two times, we have seen that Myanmar has failed to win the trust of Rohingyas in creating conducive situation [in Rakhine] and dignified return of Rohingyas,” she said.

“The repatriation process did not start although we had full preparation as Rohingyas did not agree to return,” she said. “We have seen that Rohingyas are scared of returning to Rakhine due to various reasons including no improvement of security at Rakhine.”

Over 743,000 of them fled military atrocities including killings, rapes, tortures in Rakhine State since August 25, 2017. They joined the 300,000 others who had fled to Bangladesh earlier.

Hasina said that Bangladesh is continuing its diplomatic effort for Rohingya repatriation at UN and other international communities.

“We have requested our friend states like China, India and Japan for playing a necessary role for resolving the Rohingya crisis. We hope that Myanmar will create a conducive situation at Rakhine and start taking back Rohingyas soon,” she hoped.

Bangladesh takes initiatives for manufacturing dengue test kits

Sheikh Hasina said that Bangladesh already has taken initiatives for manufacturing kits to detect the dengue fever at the early stage.

“We have started importing of raw materials to manufacture kits to detect dengue since August 6. As a result, we will be able to supply 35000 kits in a day. There will be no scarcity of kits,” Hasina said while answering a query of Jatiya Party MP Rustum Ali Faraji in the parliament.

Stating that her government has taken proper steps to check dengue, Sheikh Hasina also said an investigation is underway to find out the persons responsible for buying ineffective mosquito repellent.

She also said an investigation is being carried out to find out the people responsible for purchasing ineffective mosquito repellent and why the medicines did not work.

The prime minister said this while responding to a supplementary question from Gonoforum lawmaker Sultan Mohammad Mansur during the question-answer session.

AL does not believe in vengeance

In reply to a query from a BNP lawmaker, PM told the parliament that Awami League does not believe in politics of vengeance.

“Awami League doesn’t believe in the politics of vengeance. If we do so, there would be no existence of BNP in this country. Because, no other was subjected to what extent we were victims of killing, repression and torture by BNP,” she said responding to a question of the BNP lawmaker Rumeen Farhana (Reserved Seat-50).