What’s the harm if India given transit?

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said Bangladesh cannot keep its doors shut in this era of globalisation and she wondered what the loss would be if India is given transit facilities.

"There are objections about why we gave transit facility to India. We have already given this facility. What is the harm in this? Rather, we are getting tolls for the use of roads. The people of our country are having benefits. We are earning some money," she said in her concluding speech of the budget session in parliament.

Blasting those who criticised her recent visit to India, Hasina said the opposition parties continue saying many things about her tour.

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Can't keep our doors closed, says PM on transit to India

She said Bangladesh needs to join Trans-Asian Highway. "We have also secured transit facilities from India for [carrying goods to and from] Nepal and Bhutan."

Noting that Bangladesh brings fuel from India's Assam to the Parbatipur depot through a pipeline, the leader of the House said this enabled Bangladesh to purchase fuel at a cheap rate.

Hasina, also the Awami League president, said the government has a plan to bring fuel to Natore through a pipeline.

She described how the interest of the country was neglected during the rules of military dictators Ziaur Rahman and HM Ershad, and also during the tenure of Khaleda Zia's government.

The PM said Zia had opened Bangladeshi market for Indian goods. She said Zia and Ershad did nothing to resolve the enclave and Tin Bigha Corridor issues with India.

She said Khaleda forgot to raise the Ganges water-sharing issue during her visit to India in 1990s.

Hasina said she objected to selling gas to India ahead of the 2001 general election, but Khaleda agreed to it.

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The Bangladesh-India friendship dilemma

"As a result, my party Awami League could not win a large number of seats despite securing larger percentage of votes.

"We couldn't form the government because of my unwillingness to sell gas. So, who sells the country? Khaleda Zia, HM Ershad and Ziaur Rahman did it. Awami League doesn't do it."

The premier sought cooperation from the MPs so the national budget for 2024-25 fiscal and the Annual Development Programme are properly implemented.

Talking about the Ashrayan project, she said a total of 8.68 lakh landless and homeless families have been rehabilitated. The total number of beneficiaries is more than 43.39 lakh, she added.

This year, the budget session of the 12th parliament began on June 5. The session was prorogued yesterday evening after 19 sittings.

Finance Minister AH Mahmood Ali placed the Tk 7.97 lakh crore proposed national budget for 2024-25 fiscal in parliament on June 6. The Finance Bill-2024 was passed on June 29 and the national budget on June 30.

A total of 228 MPs took part in the discussion on the proposed budget.