No deal with India against country's interest: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today in parliament said no agreement or MoU signed with India during her recent New Delhi visit is against the country's interest.

In reply to lawmakers’ queries, PM said all the treaties and memorandum of understandings signed with India have already published in media. No treaty or MoU was against the country’s interest, she added.

“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,” she said in a written reply.

The premier 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 cannot sign anything against country's interest," she also said.

On the treaty of Teesta River, Sheikh Hasina said her government is sincerely working for signing of the Teesta water sharing agreement as the deal is very important for AL-led 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.”

Hasina said the 35 agreements and MoUs 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, 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, she said.

Govt determines to assist EC

In a scripted answer, PM Hasina said her government is determined to extend all kinds of cooperation to the election commission for holding all election in the days to come in a free, fair and impartial way.

“The election commission will carry out its duty in line with the constitution and other respective rules. All executive bodies are constitutionally bound to assist the election commission to carry out its duties. Election Commission is totally independent to carry out its duties.”