Govt ‘incapable’ of resolving issues with India: Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday said the current Awami League government has failed to resolve the outstanding issues with India as it lacks public support.

He came up with the remarks while talking to reporters after paying homage to BNP founder Ziaur Rahman by placing a wreath with the leaders of the newly formed partial committee of Jatiyatabadi Swechchasebak Dal.

About the premier's visit to India, Fakhrul said every time she went to India giving people a lot of hope about singing Teesta and many other deals, but that has not happened so far.

He said Bangladesh was supposed to get $8 billion from India under the lines of credit, but the country has received a part of this credit. "There's no further progress in this regard."

As journalists sought his comment on Hasina's current India tour, he said, "I say again, let her come back and see what she brings for the people of Bangladesh."

Fakhrul also criticised the government for not giving any appropriate response to Myanmar for repeated violations of Bangladesh's sovereignty.

As his attention was drawn to criticism on social media for receiving the PM by a state minister at India's Palam Airport, Fakhrul declined to say anything about it.

"Because the previous statements of the foreign minister here and the statements of most of the ministers of the government have demonstrated that they would go (to India) no matter how they're received and they wouldn't have a big problem with that."

Reiterating BNP's position on the next election, he said a credible general election will not be possible in Bangladesh without a polls-time neutral government and an impartial Election Commission.