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$1b defence deal sealed
Dhaka, Moscow also sign nuke plant, 7 other agreements; agree to fight terrorism together
(January 16, 2013) Reaz Hassan
There cannot be any doubt that the armed forces must be upgraded and made capable of resisting the evil forces, both external and internal. From that point of view, we welcome the arms purchase. However, some reservations remain. Firstly, the issue was not discussed in the JS or in the parliamentary standing committee at all. Secondly, why should the nation remain unaware about such a deal? Moreover, the loan of $1 billion obtained from Russia was borrowed at an exorbitant rate of interest. Though delayed, we expect our government would divulge the contents of the deals and MoUs signed with Russia. Concerned
Bangladesh does not need this deal. It is suicidal, while so many areas are to be funded and improved. Schools, hospitals, roads, culverts, river dredging and so many other areas are there which should be given priority. Mijan
Any arms purchase deal should have been debated in parliament first and then the decision to go ahead taken. Rch
Sheikh Hasina, during her last tenure, bought eight MIG 29, and now only 4 are flyable! Why is she doing it again? Towhid Tuhin
The project of nuclear power plant will be a constructive one. We may seek financial support to improve our agriculture, education and so on. But I do not realise the importance of buying such costly weapons where there are other demands to be fulfilled. EB
Who advised this to AL government? Buying arms is a waste of public money. We should invest this money in infrastructural development. Ask
What a travesty and short-sightedness when there are so many needs to be fulfilled. The armed forces are already given resources the country can ill-afford. Selma
Is it prudent to spend all these money when our hospitals, schools and roads are all old and dilapidated? I wonder how much commission the Russians offered to seal the deal. Ferdous Jalil
$1 billion for weapons is nothing, but $1 billion for 5 grand hospitals or 50 schools or an elevated expressway or the Padma bridge is a lot. Ahsan
The $1b arms deal is a total waste of money. A major portion of it will be spent on bribes, commissions, etc., and the remainder will be spent for buying unnecessary weapons which will become unusable soon after. Misbah Uddin Sumon
When the prices of daily necessities have gone out of reach of common people, when getting loan for constructing Padma bridge is uncertain, when the price of electricity is increasing day by day, why is our government buying weapons instead of solving these problems? Roni Rahman
We can not get money for basic fundamentals like bridges and roads, and yet buying guns on high interest rates? Who are the beneficiaries? Nasirullah Mridha, USA
Teachers are struggling to get their institutions under MPO and facing police brutality on streets. Our shabby infrastructure is keeping the investors away from setting up industries. Spending $1billion on defence in present circumstances is just not right. Hasan-SZ
$1 billion for obsolete Russian technology! Who is Bangladesh going to use it against? India? Md Shahjahan
All deals and MoUs signed must be discussed in parliament. Jumana Sarwar
There is nothing wrong in modernising the defence forces. However, the nation has many pending issues and certainly the government has failed to set priority and address the issues that matter most to the nation.
Dhaka, Moscow also sign nuke plant, 7 other agreements; agree to fight terrorism together
(January 16, 2013) Reaz Hassan
There cannot be any doubt that the armed forces must be upgraded and made capable of resisting the evil forces, both external and internal. From that point of view, we welcome the arms purchase. However, some reservations remain. Firstly, the issue was not discussed in the JS or in the parliamentary standing committee at all. Secondly, why should the nation remain unaware about such a deal? Moreover, the loan of $1 billion obtained from Russia was borrowed at an exorbitant rate of interest. Though delayed, we expect our government would divulge the contents of the deals and MoUs signed with Russia. Concerned
Bangladesh does not need this deal. It is suicidal, while so many areas are to be funded and improved. Schools, hospitals, roads, culverts, river dredging and so many other areas are there which should be given priority. Mijan
Any arms purchase deal should have been debated in parliament first and then the decision to go ahead taken. Rch
Sheikh Hasina, during her last tenure, bought eight MIG 29, and now only 4 are flyable! Why is she doing it again? Towhid Tuhin
The project of nuclear power plant will be a constructive one. We may seek financial support to improve our agriculture, education and so on. But I do not realise the importance of buying such costly weapons where there are other demands to be fulfilled. EB
Who advised this to AL government? Buying arms is a waste of public money. We should invest this money in infrastructural development. Ask
What a travesty and short-sightedness when there are so many needs to be fulfilled. The armed forces are already given resources the country can ill-afford. Selma
Is it prudent to spend all these money when our hospitals, schools and roads are all old and dilapidated? I wonder how much commission the Russians offered to seal the deal. Ferdous Jalil
$1 billion for weapons is nothing, but $1 billion for 5 grand hospitals or 50 schools or an elevated expressway or the Padma bridge is a lot. Ahsan
The $1b arms deal is a total waste of money. A major portion of it will be spent on bribes, commissions, etc., and the remainder will be spent for buying unnecessary weapons which will become unusable soon after. Misbah Uddin Sumon
When the prices of daily necessities have gone out of reach of common people, when getting loan for constructing Padma bridge is uncertain, when the price of electricity is increasing day by day, why is our government buying weapons instead of solving these problems? Roni Rahman
We can not get money for basic fundamentals like bridges and roads, and yet buying guns on high interest rates? Who are the beneficiaries? Nasirullah Mridha, USA
Teachers are struggling to get their institutions under MPO and facing police brutality on streets. Our shabby infrastructure is keeping the investors away from setting up industries. Spending $1billion on defence in present circumstances is just not right. Hasan-SZ
$1 billion for obsolete Russian technology! Who is Bangladesh going to use it against? India? Md Shahjahan
All deals and MoUs signed must be discussed in parliament. Jumana Sarwar
There is nothing wrong in modernising the defence forces. However, the nation has many pending issues and certainly the government has failed to set priority and address the issues that matter most to the nation.
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