The need for creating a consensus on national security -and foreign -policy issues comes under the spotlight as the post-uprising Bangladesh faces multifarious problems.
"Other countries have broader consensus on national security-and foreign-policy issues but we have failed to do that in our country," BNP Standing Committee member Ameer Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said at dialogue organised by a civil-society platform in the city.
Khosru, a former minister, alleged that he was under surveillance of the intelligence agencies and pointed out that keeping citizens of own country under watch should not be the job of the intelligence agencies .
A national-security architecture is needed to determine what should be the role of the intelligence, he pointed out.
The former commerce minister thinks that the country should focus more on economic diplomacy as businesspeople of the country have been complaining for long that Bangladesh's missions abroad failed to promote the country's economic interests.
He also stated that his party is in favour of multilateralism or regionalism in dealing with foreign affairs- related issues.
"When you are dealing with these issues bilaterally, the stronger country always get the upper hand," he notes.
The BNP leader also observed that the government should be cautious about the situation on other side of the Myanmar border, which is now under full control of the rebel Arakan Army.
"None should think that Arakan Army is sympathetic towards the Rohingya rather they are more antagonistic against the Rohingya and Islam," he mentions.
He made it clear that in the coming days the areas involving the Chittagong Hill Tracts and Myanmar Border may be complicated.
"It may be a ticking bomb," warned the politician hailed from the port city .
Bangladesh Army needs to be properly equipped to fight a 21st century battle, he added in this regard. On current affairs of the country Mr. Chowdhury said reform is a continuous process which will be achieved through corrections.
"We have been repeatedly hearing the suggestions that political parties need to change but one must remember that no one is wise enough to prescribe reforms which will solve all the problems," he stated.
Reform should be conducted through democratic process and through corrections and it should be done through parliament, which gets the mandate of the people through proper elections, he notes about the stand of his party which insists that the interim government should declare a clear roadmap to national elections.
Addressing the dialogue foreign adviser Touhid Hussain called for consensus on national security-and foreign- policy issues.
There might be differences of opinion between the government and the opposition parties but on key issues consensus is crucial, the adviser added.
He also mentioned that previously the government parties dictated country's foreign policy without taking the opposition parties on board.
"And similarly, we have seen that whenever ruling party does a good job, the opposition parties failed to appreciate it.
"This should be changed," the adviser noted.
Regarding the Rohingya issue, he said that the recently held Bangkok conference, which the foreign ministers of the neighbouring countries of Myanmar attended, he made it clear that resolving Rohingya crisis is imperative to solve Myanmar problem.
"We have more than 2 lakh Rohingya youths here who will become desperate when they will see no future in front of them. And that will bring no good for the region," he added.
Responding to a question, he said that the foreign ministry knew about the schedule of the meeting between Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misra and army top brass during Misra's Dhaka visit.
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