Safeguarding national interest
Photo: STAR
The report 'Promises made, not kept' published in The Daily Star on November 20, 2011 has made us deeply upset. It is shocking and unbelievable. It said, "Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on three occasions in the last 21 months promised that it would not take any steps regarding Tipaimukh dam that would harm Bangladesh, but the commitment appears to have been breached. The country has recently finalised a joint venture arrangement for constructing the multi-billion dam without consulting Bangladesh."We used to look upon Indian Prime Minister Monmohan Singh as a wise, learned and sympathetic person. But this has shattered his image once and for all. We should have known that this will follow after the failure in signing the Teesta deal. We could not call it anything but a well-rehearsed drama. What is our government doing? It is giving away whatever India is asking for, not caring how seriously we are being affected. India helped us during our Liberation War and we are grateful for this. We thought that it was for humanity's sake, that a neighbour helped a distressed neighbour. But now it seems that it was not solely for that reason. India had made a long-term plan about how benefits could be reaped from a grateful nation. Our government must shake off this servile mentality and stand for our legitimate rights. If the government fails to do so, people will not forgive it and it will have to pay dearly for mishandling the national issues.
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