Hasina sending envoy to India

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday announced she will send a special envoy to India soon to get details on its latest move to implement Tipaimukh hydroelectric project.
“As soon as we saw newspaper reports [about the move), I asked the foreign ministry to send a letter to India seeking information about what is happening there [Tipaimukh dam in Manipur state of India]. And I am sending a special envoy to India without any delay,” the premier told parliament yesterday.
“It cannot be that one [country] will unilaterally conduct a survey or build a dam. Bangladesh must be engaged if they (India) want to conduct a survey on Tipaimukh dam,” Hasina said in response to a query from independent lawmaker Fazlul Azim.
She assured the people that her government will do everything to protect the country's interests.
“We liberated the country and we are very much aware of how to protect its interests. And Bangladesh's interests will never be compromised as long as Awami League remains in power,” said Hasina, also chief of the AL that leads the ruling alliance.
Speaking on the much-talked-about water sharing of the Teesta river, she said her government took the move to this end (signing of a treaty). “We must strike the deal today or tomorrow.”
The premier mentioned that the then AL government signed the Ganges water sharing treaty in 1996 and ensured fair share of water of that river.
Referring to Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia's letter to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking a joint survey before proceeding with Tipaimukh project, Hasina blasted her for her party's (BNP) "double standard".
She said when BNP remains in power, its stance on Tipaimukh dam is different. And it speaks in a different way when it is out of power. The past BNP-Jamaat government's water resources minister had said Bangladesh would not be affected if the dam is built, she added.
“But the first agitation against Tipaimukh dam was launched in Sylhet led by our finance minister,” Hasina said.
Meanwhile, Dhaka urged New Delhi on Tuesday to hold consultations with it and share all relevant information before it (India) moves to implement the controversial project as the proposed dam, if constructed, will wreak havoc on the ecology, agriculture and fisheries downstream in Bangladesh.
In a scripted answer to the independent lawmaker's query, the leader of the House also blasted BNP and other opposition parties for their present stance on Indira-Mujib treaty. Previously they used to dub it as a “treaty of slavery” (to India) but now they are criticising (govt) for not implementing it, she said.
The AL was not in power from August 15, 1975 to 1996, Hasina recalled. “Those in power during that period did slavery and that's why they did not take steps to implement the treaty [Indira- Mujib treaty] ”
The premier also described in brief her government's various steps to strengthen ties with India, Nepal and Bhutan, and to establish peace in this region.
Responding to other lawmakers' queries, she said her government has taken various measures to increase farm production, develop tourism sector and to enhance women's social dignity.
ELEVATED EXPRESSWAY
In response to a query from AL lsawmaker Meher Afroz, Hasina said construction of the much expected elevated expressway from Shahjalal International Airport to Dhaka-Chittagong highway is likely to be completed by December 2014.
On the metro rail project, she said negotiations with the Japanese government on funds for it will be completed by March next year. All efforts are being made to complete a significant part of it during the tenure of the present government, she said.
ARMY PULL-OUT FROM CHT
Some 235 army camps have been withdrawn from the Chittagong Hill Tracts and a process is underway to pull out the remaining camps since the law and order situation there is improving, said the prime minister in reply to another query.
She also said army men are cooperating with the civil administration to maintain peace and security in the CHT areas.
In a major development towards implementation of the CHT Peace Accord, 1997, the AL-led government started withdrawing security camps from the CHT areas from mid 2009.