BNP threatens to agitate against transit deal with India

Dhaka, Feb 18 (PTI) Accusing the Sheikh Hasina led
Bangladesh government of harming country's national interest,
opposition BNP has threatened to launch a 'systematic'
movement against the signing of international agreements,
including the proposed bilateral road transit pact with India.

The transit agreement is scheduled to be signed
tomorrow between the Commerce minister, Faruq Khan, and
External Affairs Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, who will arrive
in Dhaka on a one-day official visit on that day.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is also opposed
to the signing of Investment Framework Agreement with the US.

"The BNP will launch a movement if the government
strikes deals with foreign countries without taking the
national interest into account," party's standing committee
member Mahbubur Rahman told New Age.

"But it will be a systematic movement."

BNP in its two-day meeting said that they would launch
programmes including a series of rallies, processions and
sit-ins to whip up mass support against signing of the deals.

"In the two-day meeting, we discussed signing of the
TIFA with the United States and the trade and transit
agreement with India in detail, especially from the economic,
political, military and social points of view," said Mahbub, a
former army chief.

"We are not against the signing of deals with
foreign countries that will enhance trade, commerce and
investment and be beneficial to us without endangering our
security and sovereignty," he said. PTI SAZ
SAK
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