BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia addresses a Pahela Baishakh celebration programme organised by Jatiyatabadi Sangskritik Sangathan at the party office in Dhaka on Friday. — New Age photo
Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia on Friday said that none would be allowed to interfere in Bangladesh’s internal affairs in the name of friendship and development.
Inaugurating a cultural event organised by Jatiyatabadi Samajik Sangskritik Sangstha to welcome Bengali New Year 1424 in front of BNP central office at Nayapaltan Friday afternoon, she said that BNP wanted to see everyone as a friend but would not accept if anyone wanted to act as mentor in disguise of a friend.
Khaleda came up with the comments mentioning prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s recent visit to New Delhi when a number of deals and memorandums of understanding, including one on defence cooperation, were signed with India.
Bangladesh has advanced a long way and now seeing this development, many wants to interfere in its domestic matters in the name of development, Khaleda said.
She said that ‘17 crore people’ of the country were united, the nation did not need anybody’s cooperation if the people remained united.
She stressed the need for national unity to ensure peace, progress and welfare of people.
Khaleda said that Bangladesh wanted its due share of waters of common rivers with India, not anyone’s mercy.
She said that the ‘self-announced’ prime minister did not bring anything for the country but gave away everything of the country to other.
Khaleda, also former prime minister, said that if the prime minister during her visit to India could boldly say that without ensuring due share of the water of the River Teesta no deals and memorandums would be signed, BNP would have extend its support and generate courage.
‘But she [prime minister] did not have that courage,’ she said and called for national unity to establish people’s rights.
Greeting people on Bangla New Year, Khaleda expressed hope that people’s expectations would be fulfilled in the New Year.
‘We want democracy, peace, development and people’s welfare, employment opportunity for everyone and health services for all,’ she said.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi also addressed the event presided over by JASAS president Mamun Ahmed.
Source: New Age