Dipu Moni defends one billion USD loan from India

Diplomatic Correspondent
Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni has reiterated that Bangladesh stands to benefit considerably from the recent one billion USD loan agreement signed with India.
“Those who are against this agreement are opposing it for petty reasons, merely for political gains,” she added.
The Foreign Minister was addressing a round table in a city hotel on Bangladesh-India relations.
The event organized by the Bengali daily ‘Bhorer Kagoj’ was moderated by its editor Shyamal Dutta. It was addressed, among others by the FBCCI president A K Azad, Professor Imtiaz Ahmed of Dhaka University, 'The Sun' editor Syed Anwar Hossain, former foreign secretary Syed Moazzem Ali, communication expert Rahamatullah and journalist Zaghlul Ahmed Chowdhury.
Moni said historically Bangladesh had good relations with India and during our liberation war in 1971 India had hosted nearly one crore Bangladeshi refugees.
“But after the political turmoil in 1975, the relations had become bitter. Now we are trying to recover lost ground and giving shape to a relation based on cooperation,” she added.
She said that during the recent visit of Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee both the Governments had discussed the progress of the joint communiqué signed by the two countries in January this year.
Professor Imtiaz Ahmed said that Bangladesh could benefit by the loan agreement if Bangladeshi businessmen would initiate business moves “aggressively,” with the seven Northeastern states of India.
Prof Imtiaz hoped that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would pay his return visit to Bangladesh very soon. He suggested that it was the Indian Government’s duty to refurbish its image before the proposed visit by signing long-awaited Teesta water sharing agreement, a clear announcement on its intentions about the Tipaimukh Dam, and initiating steps for the peaceful resolution of border disputes.
FBCCI president A K Azad however complained that commodities which Bangladeshi businessmen could export to India had been included in the negative list of 198 items compiled by Delhi.
“On the other hand India is not allowing some of our goods like cement to the exported in the name of quality certification despite the fact that our cement meets BSTI standards, which is an International quality norm,” he added.
FBCCI president, the top leader of the premier umbrella organisation for businessmen, severely criticised the Bangladesh missions abroad for their alleged non-cooperation with the Bangladesh businessmen.
“They are there just to have fun. In the morning they go to the office on their Mercedes and then send it back for use by their family members. They come back from their offices after just reading the daily newspapers,” he alleged.
The Foreign Minister assured the business community that their demands would be addressed.
Syed Moazeem Ali suggested foreign ministry redefine its job profile – from merely making visits abroad to making itself more efficient and work oriented.
“Nowadays, all visits are not essential when communication through e-mail and phone are possible from all over the world”, he added.


published 24, august 2010, the independent