Staff Reporter :
BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that his party wants good ties with neighbouring India based on equality and mutual respect to resolve various disputes, including rightful share of water of the common rivers.
“We don’t want to lock into any quarrel with the neighbouring country. We want good ties with that country based on equality and mutual respect,” he said.
The BNP secretary general was addressing a discussion yesterday organized by Bhashani Smriti Parishad at the National Press Club to mark the 38th anniversary of the historic
‘Farakka Long March Day’ to be observed today (Friday). Different socio-political organisations have chalked out separate programmes in observance of the day.
The long march was first held on this day in 1976, led by the country’s legendary leader Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani, demanding demolition of the Farakka Barrage constructed by India on the river Ganges’. Since then the ‘Farakka Long March Day’ is observed on May 16 every year.
Different other organisations also held discussions and other programmes yesterday marking the day. Bangladesh National Awami Party (Bangladesh NAP) will hold a discussion at the National Press Club at 4:00 pm on Friday.
Mirza Fakhrul alleged that the Teesta deal could not be signed due to the subversive foreign policy of the present government. He said that a large portion of Bangladesh’s western and northern regions are becoming desert due to illegal construction of dams and barrages on the 53 common rivers by India at the upstream.
He also alleged that the government is not raising its voice against it. The government is trying to cling to power only using the state machinery and forces as it got isolated and turned politically bankrupt.
He claimed that the RAB members made 22 opposition leaders and activists disappeared in Dhaka city alone.
The BNP leader urged all to get united to save the country from the grasp of AL government. He also urged to raise voice against Indian aggression.
Addressing a separate discussion yesterday, BNP standing committee member ASM Hannan Shah claimed that the present government had signed several ‘secret deals’ with India on several issues. A strong resistance has to be built against the aggression of India taking lessons from the Farakka long march of Maulana Bhashani, said the BNP leader.
National Awami Party (NAP Bhashani) arranged the discussion also in the Press Club with its president Advocate Azharul Islam in the chair to mark the day.
Jatiya Gonotantrik Party also formed a human chain in front of the Press Club to mark the day. Party chief Shafiul Alam Prodhan addressed it.
