The 10 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) signed with India during prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to New Delhi, according to Bangladesh Nationalist Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, are the “new edition of slavery.”
Under the pretext of increased connectivity, India has been promised a railway corridor through Bangladesh, which, according to him, poses a serious threat to the nation’s sovereignty and security.
At a press conference held on Sunday at the BNP chairperson’s political headquarters in Gulshan, Dhaka, Mirza Fakhrul made these claims.
“We certainly remember the 25-year slavery agreement signed with India in 1972,” he remarked. Furthermore, Bangladesh will become an indestructible property of India as a result of the agreements signed with that country on June 22 under the pretense of memorandums of understanding. Bangladesh’s national security is now in jeopardy as a result.
Mirza Fakhrul claimed that the national security and defense of Bangladesh had become intertwined with that of India through these agreements and memoranda of understanding. “This is extremely dangerous and a threat to the country’s independence,” he declared. It opposes non-alignment and peaceful cooperation. Sheikh Hasina actually wishes to allow India to exploit Bangladesh as a strategic buffer state in regional geopolitics through these MoUs and agreements.
According to Mirza Fakhrul, Bangladesh would undoubtedly become involved in the intricate regional geopolitical struggle. According to him, the seven recently signed memoranda of understanding are primarily focused on Bangladesh’s northern region. They believe that these agreements and memoranda were made with the intention of executing a long-term, massive plan to avoid the chicken neck, which is crucial strategically for the transportation of both military and civilian supplies, and to utilize Bangladeshi territory when needed. He went on, “People won’t accept these deals that go against the national interest.”
The governing party frequently claimed that during the previous 15 years, the relationship between Bangladesh and India had reached “new heights.” In reference to this, Mirza Fakhrul stated that Bangladeshi people have accomplished nothing during this supposedly “golden chapter” of bilateral relations. In the name of connectedness, providing India with successive transits and corridors mostly shares the transactions between these two nations at this time. Despite the potential economic and strategic hazards associated with providing transit and corridors, all actions have been taken unilaterally, with little regard for Bangladesh’s interests.
Over the past fifteen years, the governing party has repeatedly asserted that the relationship between Bangladesh and India has reached “new heights.” Mirza Fakhrul made the comment that the people of Bangladesh had achieved nothing in this purportedly “golden chapter” of bilateral relations in connection to this. Giving India additional transits and corridors in the interest of connectivity primarily shares the current transactions between these two countries. The provision of transit and corridors has significant strategic and economic risks, but Bangladesh’s interests have not been given any consideration in any of the unilateral steps that have been taken.
Mirza Fakhrul asserted that the Awami League in power did not speak for the people of this nation and that, as a result, it is not answerable to them. This is why the Awami League actively defends the nation’s interests. Bangladesh gained nothing from the signing of the ten memorandums of understanding (MoUs) under various names, including those regarding the rail corridor through Bangladesh, India’s participation in the Teesta project, defence and military cooperation, medicines, free movement within Bangladesh’s maritime boundary, joint satellite agreements between India’s In Space and Bangladesh’s Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, digital partnerships, green partnerships, maritime cooperation, and green economy.
Instead of defending Bangladesh’s interests, Mirza Fakhrul believed that Sheikh Hasina signed these Memorandums of Understanding as an act of gratitude to India. Because of this, there was no mention of accelerating the execution of India’s already signed USD 7 billion line of credit during this visit. In addition, during discussions, the topic of doing trade and commerce in Indian money instead of the US dollar was raised. However, the majority of Bangladesh’s exports and remittances are made in US dollars. He continued, “Nothing about lifting tariff and non-tariff trade barriers to do trade with India to reduce that country’s enormous trade deficit was mentioned in these Memorandums of Understanding.”
The BNP secretary general claimed that despite the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) killing a record number of people on the Bangladesh-India border each year, the Bangladeshi government remained completely mute about the matter throughout this visit. Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) claims that between January and May of 2024, at least 11 Bangladeshis died and nine others were injured by BSF firing; on the other hand, rights organization Odikhar claims that between 2000 and 2020, 1,236 Bangladeshis died and 1,145 others were hurt by BSF firing. Not even Border Guard Bangladesh members were able to avoid the BSF gunfire.
The border between India and Pakistan, China, and Nepal do not witness as many killings as they do; however, Mirza Fakhrul stated that the Bangladeshi government was unable to press the issue.
Attending the news conference were BNP standing committee members Mirza Abbas, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Nazrul Islam Khan, and Selima Rahman, among others.
