PM defends Indian credit

Defending the one billion dollar loan from India, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the money would be used for much needed infrastructure to ensure development of the nation that caused burning of BNP-Jamaat alliance which had plundered the public wealth during its rule.
She rubbished the allegation of opposition leader Khaleda Zia who termed the Indian loan deal signed on Saturday as 'pact of slavery'.
Hasina was talking to executive committee of Rajshahi University Teachers' Association that called on her at her office.
The Indian loan will be utilised for implementation of 14 projects, mostly related to development of railway infrastructure in Bangladesh, upgrading of Ashuganj river port, construction of roads and bridges to facilitate transit of Indian goods to its North-Eastern region through Bangladesh, purchase of double-decker buses from India and connecting power gridline with India, PM's press secretary Abul Kalam Azad said briefing the meeting.
The projects will bring about good to the people. That is why BNP-Jamaat alliance opposed to the loan deal, observed the premier.
Questioning the wisdom of the opposition in opposing the loan the PM reminded the nation that BNP during its rule had signed a 15-year loan agreement at 5 percent interest with India. It had signed another loan agreement for Barapukuria coalmine project at 4.5 percent interest. “They had also signed push-back treaty but forget to raise the Ganges water sharing issue,” she said.
On the maritime boundary, she said the government has already raised the issue in the United Nations for arbitration. The negotiations are on with Indian and Myanmar to settle the maritime boundary dispute.
Hasina said her government is working hard for the welfare of the people.
“When we are working hard for the welfare of the country BNP and its allies oppose us. They should be feeling bad when we are doing well for the people,” she said.
She alleged that the BNP and its allies are engaged in their efforts to turn the nation 'void of intellectuals'. They have assembled around them certain 'intellectual bankrupts'. During their rule they had indulged in heavy corruption, plunder of public wealth and politicisation of the administration resulting in irregularities in every sector.
Regarding the power sector, the premier said her government attached top priority to improve power generation and supply. She squarely blamed the previous BNP-Jamaat government for neglecting the power sector causing the present crisis.
“We have had approved power projects in the ECNEC during our past tenure of government to increase additional power generation of 5,800 MW, but unfortunately the BNP-Jamaat alliance government scrapped all those projects,” she said.
“In the last one and half years, we have been able to add 1,500 MW power to the national grid,” she said claiming it a great achievement. “By end of this year there will be another 1,500 MW electricity added to the national grid.”
Negotiations are on to import electricity from Nepal and Bhutan, she added.
RUTA President Dr M Azizul Islam and General Secretary Dr Ananda Kumar Saha led the delegation. They apprised the PM of their problems. The premier assured them of looking into their grievances.
PM's Education Adviser Dr Alauddin Ahmed and Nazrul Islam Khan were present at the meeting.