Visited India to seek nothing but friendship: Hasina
Bangladesh Awami League president and prime minister Sheikh Hasina has said she did not go to India to seek anything.
“I went there to seek friendship. And I got that friendship,” Hasina replied when a newsman asked her what Bangladesh has got from her recent India visit.
Sheikh Hasina was briefing newsmen on the outcome of her India visit at her official Ganabhaban residence on Tuesday.
The PM said nothing has happened during her India visit that can make people pessimists.
“I am satisfied with the visit. The visit is a success. It's a matter of satisfaction that India has treated Bangladesh as a sovereign state. We have got the honour of a sovereign state,” Hasina told the media briefing.
The PM was in India from 7 April to 10 April on an official visit.
When a newsman asked whether signed instruments will be placed in parliament, Hasina said, “There is nothing to hide. You will come to know all the things. Keep one thing in mind as long as I am here... I don’t politics for my personal interests. The interests of the country and its people are bigger to me...”
Asked about Teesta, she said, “Look, we are at the downstream. Waters must come. None will be able to obstruct the waters. When there will be excessive waters, they will be forced to release the waters.
Hasina also said Bangladesh should build reservoir for preserving those waters for future use.
Referring to Mamata’s negation towards, Hasina claimed that Mamata did not reject outright giving Bangladesh waters. “What she said is that the waters could be shared only after collecting waters from some other sources...”
“However, prime minister Narendra clearly stated that the Teesta deal will be signed,” Hasina added.
BSS adds: Sheikh Hasina said there is nothing to hide in the agreements and MoUs signed with India during her four-day New Delhi tour as everything is wide open for the people.
Sheikh Hasina said all agreements with foreign countries are signed after approval of the cabinet. "So, these are open documents," she said.
Responding to her government policy to maintain relation both India and China Sheikh Hasina said policy of Bangabandhu- 'Friendship with all, Malice to None,' is the "guiding factor of our foreign policy".
"I'm trying to comply with the policy word by word and establish good relation with every country," she said.
The premier added India and China might have problems in their bilateral relations but Bangladesh would maintain good relation with every country.
She said Bangladesh needs to have good relations with all countries for its cherished prosperity as quick as possible since as a nation "it has lost much time after the killing of Bangabandhu in our expedition for development".
The prime minister said the business delegation accompanied her in India found their opportunities and trade partners and as many as 12 MoU were signed under which huge Indian investment would come to Bangladesh.
Sheikh Hasina said undoubtedly geographically and demographically Bangladesh is a small country comparative to India "but dignity of the both countries is equal as far as nation's sovereignty and independence is concerned".
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