Teesta project: India should implement it if we’re to get water

We can't do anything [about quotas] until the issue is resolved in court. It is the reality.

— Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said she wants India to implement the Teesta project and this is to ensure Bangladesh gets water from upstream.

She said, "The Teesta project is a longstanding issue. We will have to implement the Teesta project. China has made an offer and conducted a feasibility study. India also has made an offer. India will also conduct a feasibility study, and then we will accept the one that will be rational for us.

"But I will give priority to India for the project as India holds back the Teesta water. If we want to realise [share of the Teesta] water, India should implement the project. If they complete the project, they will provide everything that is required for the project. This is diplomacy. There is no hide-and-seek about this, and it's simple and clear."

Hasina said this while responding to a question from a journalist at a press conference at the Gono Bhaban on her recent visit to China.

She said Chinese President Xi Jinping mentioned assistance in four ways: grants, interest-free loans, concessional loans, and commercial loans. China agreed to provide Bangladesh money equal to $2 billion through the four ways, report UNB and BSS.

China also agreed to build the 9th Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge for free, she said, coming down heavily on those criticising the outcome of her trip.

"Are these things nothing? They are mentally ill and these are the outcome of their illness," she said.

QUOTA SYSTEM REFORMS

Hasina said, "The executive authority has nothing to do [about quotas in public service] right now …"

Hinting at the protesters, she said those who are waging the movement do not abide by the laws or follow the court, they do not know the constitution or have any idea how a government runs.

"Yes, they are meritorious, but they will have to have ideas about these matters.

"We can't do anything [about quotas] until the issue is resolved in court. It is the reality. They'll have to accept this reality," she said.

She said, "No one says anything as long as they [protesters] continue their peaceful movement. But if they go for anything else, like attacking police and their vehicles or other things, the law will take its own course."

Hasina said the government abolished the quota system after a movement. "But what is the result of this abolishment seen today?"

Mentioning that women had joined the movement in 2018, she said only two females in the last BCS exam qualified for foreign services and four for police.

Defending district-based quotas and quotas for marginalised communities, the PM said some districts have been deprived after the abolishment of the quota system. Not a single person got a job in police service from 23 districts, she added.

"Why do they [the protesters] have so much anger against the freedom fighters?" she said, adding, "If the grandchildren of freedom fighters don't get quota benefits, should the grandchildren of Rajakars get the benefit?"

QUESTION LEAK

Hasina asked journalists to find out those who passed the government recruitment exams with the help of leaked question papers.

Mentioning that action would be taken against those who got benefits from question paper leaks, she said, "Why would we not take action? They have no right to work. But who will find them? If they [those who leaked the questions] name any person that they have sold the questions to and if it can be proved, then we will see.

"He who pays a bribe, and he who takes a bribe are both criminals. Those who leak question papers and those who buy them are both criminals. But who will figure it out? Journalists should try to find that out ... then we will take action," she added.

CORRUPTION

Responding to a question on corruption, she said, "I will not spare the corrupt people no matter whoever they are or whatever position they have as I started the drives against corruption. I don't even consider who are close or who are not."

Hasina said she has taken action against a former peon of her home who had amassed Tk 400 crore.

"He worked in my house. He was a peon and now he has Tk 400 crore. He can't go places without a helicopter. It's true. How did he make so much money?"

She said she does not think that drives against corruption would harm the image of her government and reiterated her commitment to pursue "zero tolerance" for corruption.

Without mentioning any name, she said trials of some corruption cases have also been criticised, even though the accused committed corruption and misappropriated money of workers.

ON JOURNALISTS

Replying to a question about journalists' access of information, the PM said gathering information is one thing and stealing files is another.

"A negotiation was going on for buying vaccines. One of my officers was working round the clock. The officer left the room for a while leaving the important files. A journalist of a renowned newspaper entered the room and stole the documents, and my officer caught the journalist," she said.

"Then the journalist went into the bathroom and hide the documents in her sari … the file was taken out. And it seems there was no crime committed."

Later the journalist was awarded for stealing the file, Hasina added.

"This was not the first. The journalist was earlier captured at the ministry of shipping and later freed after signing a bond. But later the journalist became a heroine and world-famous," she said.

TRUMP ASSASSINATION BID

Hasina condemned the assassination attempt on former US president Donald Trump and termed the attack "unfortunate".

"It is really regrettable. He is a presidential candidate. We definitely condemn it … ."

"It is our question as to why such an incident took place in a civilised country, like the USA which is the pioneer of democracy," Hasina said.

She noted that the Republican Party did not blame the US government for the attack and President Joe Biden also condemned the attack.

"If such an incident took place in Bangladesh, the government would have been blamed," she said.

On the Rohingya issue, Hasina said she sought China's cooperation in resolving the crisis.

She noted that the Chinese president thanked Bangladesh for its humanitarian assistance to the Rohingyas and reiterated China's commitment to supporting their repatriation.