Senior BNP lawmaker Barrister Moudud Ahmed on Wednesday in Parliament demanded a statement from the Foreign Minister in the House under rule 300 to let people know about the present position regarding Tipaimukh Dam, Inter River-Linking Project, and Teesta water sharing deal. He also demanded formation of all-party parliamentary team to visit the Tipaimukh dam and river-linking projects to physically assess the actual situation, saying the information they have indicates India has started the process of implementing these two projects.
The BNP Standing Committee member placed the demand while speaking on `personal clarification’.
Moudud said that on their return, they (parliamentary team) will report the findings of their visit so people might know there are no such projects in India.
On the Teesta issue, he said the Teesta Water Sharing deal was supposed to be signed in 2011, but could not be signed due to India’s internal problem.
“It was expected that the deal would be finalized this time (38th JRC meeting). But the meeting was cancelled two days ahead of the scheduled time. It was frustrating. The entire nation was expecting to see the deal signed.”
Moudud informed the House that he was a co-chair of the Joint River Commission in 1979. On Tipaimukh Dam, he said, “As per the information we’ve, the process of the project implementation work has already started.”
Claiming that India so far gained the most giving nothing to Bangladesh, he said: “The present government has given everything to India, it couldn’t bring anything.”
Criticizing Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, the front ranking BNP leader said he raised the issue of Teesta on Monday just to know the present situation, but the Foreign Minister rejected my speech. “She claimed I was telling untruth. What I said was true. I can justify it.”
Moudud also criticized Amir Hossain Amu as he stood to clarify the issue before the Water Resources Minister and the Foreign Minister. He said: “Amu doesn’t have any expertise. Bet he made a statement and attacked me personally. Even he termed me as intellectually corrupt.”
The BNP MP also said Bangladesh needs good relations with India, but not adopting a ‘policy of slavery’.
“The government is meant to be criticized. It should learn to tolerate the criticism. It needs to give proper reply to any criticism,” he added. (Source: UNB)
