BNP on Tuesday voiced concern over the Indian government鈥檚 plan to develop a network of railway tracks through Bangladesh to connect the northeast region with the rest of India.
Speaking at a press conference at the BNP鈥檚 Nayapaltan central office, the party鈥檚 senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi warned that this initiative will weaken the country鈥檚 intelligence system.
聽鈥楾here鈥檚 a media report that rail tracks will be set up through Bangladesh to connect the Indian Railways to the northeast with the rest of the country, bypassing a 22 km route through the Siliguri Corridor, commonly known as the Chicken's Neck,鈥� Rizvi said.
He said the Indian Railway Board has taken the initiative to build the rail network to transport Indian military and civilian goods through Bangladesh.
聽鈥楽urely these things are happening with the permission of the prime minister of the dummy government of Bangladesh. It is worrying. We strongly protest against such initiatives,鈥� the BNP leader said.
He said if India, which is 鈥榢illing Bangladeshis鈥� along the border daily and disregarding human rights and humanity of Bangladeshis, transports military and civilian goods to its northeast through Bangladesh, it will diminish the country鈥檚 sovereignty.
聽鈥楾hrough this establishment (rail network), the key to Bangladesh's sovereignty will be given to those who nurture a hostile mindset against the people of Bangladesh. The intelligence system of an independent country will also collapse if this plan is implemented,鈥� Rizvi said.
He called upon the government to stay away from implementing the initiative of the rail network, respecting the will of the country鈥檚 people and for the sake of the country鈥檚 independence and sovereignty.
The BNP leader said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has 鈥渟igned many secret deals with India to cling to power鈥� and these agreements are now naturally coming to light.
鈥榃ithout considering the opinions of the people, Sheikh Hasina is allowing the building of rail tracks within the country only to ensure the protection of her own illegitimate power. Because she became the Prime Minister through a dummy election,鈥� he said.
Rizvi said that the 鈥榬egime of Sheikh Hasina鈥� has begun 鈥榮elling off national independence and sovereignty to hang onto power forcefully.鈥�
He also said Sheikh Hasina has transformed Bangladesh-India relations into a 鈥榤aster-servant鈥� relationship.
鈥楾he consequence of giving India all generously will be dire. Sheikh Hasina is teaching the people of Bangladesh to face a precarious situation like the cubs of a helpless fox,鈥� the BNP leader said.
According to a report published by The Times of India on Sunday, India is set to develop an alternative network of railway tracks through Bangladesh to connect its northeast with the rest of the country, reducing reliance on the existing route through the Siliguri Corridor, commonly known as 鈥楥hicken's Neck鈥� - a 22 km wide strip hemmed in by Nepal to the north and Bangladesh on its south.
