3 April 2017, Mon

Jamaat Ameer rejects the necessity of defence deal with India; emphasises on signing Teesta River sharing water treaty

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Ameer Maqbul Ahmad has issued the following statement on 3rd April, 2017 expressing deep concern as the cloud of uncertainty appeared on the signing of long awaited Teesta water treaty with India during the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on next 7th April and simultaneously about the continuous pressure from the Indian side upon Bangladesh for signing a controversial defence pact or a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

“It is the justifiable right of the Bangladeshi people to get the due amount of water from Teesta River. There is no nexus between the Teesta River water sharing treaty and the defence treaty or memorandum of understanding between Bangladesh and India.

Bangladesh has fulfilled all the demand of the Indian counterpart. But due to subservient foreign policy, Bangladesh has failed to attain its due rights. India has deprived Bangladesh from getting the water share from 54 common rivers, which are flowing over Bangladesh. India also has unilaterally extracted water by building damns and embankments over these common rivers for its agricultural benefit.

Besides, in the dry season, India is depriving Bangladesh from water which causes droughts while in the rainy season, they open the embankments and barrages to cause flood in Bangladesh. Thus, only because of India, Bangladesh is experiencing multifaceted losses. The water surface levels in the North-west and Southern part of Bangladesh are going alarmingly downwards due to adverse impact of the Farakka barrage. Trees are being died. Natural diversity and ecology are severely hampered. But the incumbent authoritarian government has no interest for these crises. They are hatching conspiracy to stay in power even instead of destroying this country.

Bangladesh’s western, northern and eastern sides are surrounded by India. Bay of Bengal is at the south. A minor border area exists at the South east corner between Bangladesh and Myanmar. Though India verbally says about friendship but actually their actions indicate something reverse. So there is no logic behind signing any kind of defence pact or MoU between Bangladesh and India. By making such agreement, actually they want to make Bangladesh a subservient country. The countrymen sincerely think that such a deal would pose a great threat to the independence and sovereignty of Bangladesh. So the people of this country will never accept any defence treaty or MoU with India.

The Teesta River water sharing deal should be signed with the central government. So according to the political analysts and diplomatic experts, any sorts of dillydally or reluctance from Indian part for signing that treaty, particularly giving the lame excuse of disapproval from the West Bengal provincial government is nothing but an ill tricks of India.

If India really wants to strengthen the friendly ties with Bangladesh, then without any further delay, they must sign the Teesta River water sharing treaty with Bangladesh immediately. But the defence pact or MoU between Bangladesh and India is illogical and unnecessary in all aspects.

The people of this country expect that the, in the upcoming trip, Prime Minister would take effective and sincere measures to secure all the due rights of Bangladesh including Teesta River water sharing deal and the due share of water of the Ganges River. The countrymen further hope that the Prime Minister would be refrained from signing any kinds of defence deal or Memorandum of Understanding with India that may go against the national interest.”