Govt hopeful of signing Teesta agreement: Dipu

Foreign Minister Dr. Dipu Moni today told the Jatiya Sangsad that the government is optimistic about signing the much-expected Teesta river water sharing agreement as negotiations with India are going on the issue at the final stage.

"We want to resolve the Teesta issue through friendly relationship with India and the deal will be inked soon," she said replying to an accusation made by independent lawmaker Mohammad Fazlul Azim in the House during the budget session.

She said the signing of the Teesta agreement is being delayed due to internal politics of India.

Referring to Awami League's government successes in resolving various issues including the Ganges water sharing with neighboring India, the foreign minister asked the MP to cite an example of signing any bilateral deal with the neighboring countries by the BNP, which was in the state power for a long time.

On Tipa Dam, Dipu Moni said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is always in favor of resolving the issue bilaterally maintaining friendly relationship with the neighboring country.

"We are not sitting idle on Tipai Dam issue and India has agreed to conduct a joint feasibility study to assess the impact of the dam on Bangladesh," she said adding we will take step after getting the result of feasibility study and not do anything whimsically.

The dam is within 100-km of Sylhet divisional city in Bangladesh and Bangladeshi rivers Surma and Kushiara are closely dependent on the Barak across which the dam will be built.

The foreign minister said whenever Awami League comes to power it works for the welfare of the people and this time the government will not do anything that harm the people.

Regarding killing on the border, Dipu Moni said 760 people were killed on the border during the BNP-Jamaat regime against 203 persons during the last three years the present government. Although the number of killing is almost half the government wants to bring down the death to zero, she said.

The foreign minister said BNP failed maintain a friendly relationship with the neighboring countries. In fact, the country became isolated during the regime of BNP-Jamaat, she added.

Dipu Moni said the government, in line with its foreign policy, is working as facilitator or coordinator to increase trade and commerce. As a result, the export has increased three folds with India, she added.