BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said neighbouring India does not like to make friendship with the people of Bangladesh. Rather, it prefers to nurture friendship with a fallen autocratic ruler (Sheikh Hasina).
Criticising the recent comments of Indian Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah against the Bangladeshi people, he said, "The Bangladeshi people have expressed their emotion when a central and influential minister of India has made comments against them."
"Our whole nation gets emotional when the issue is related with the country. When the Indians preach hate and demean the Bangladeshis, our emotion is automatically expressed."
"The Indians don't like the Bangladeshi people. They don't want friendship with our people. Their preference (for making friendship) is Sheikh Hasina, because through her India could expand its influence here," he continued.
Ruhul Kabir Rizvi made the comments at an event organised by Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Palli Chikitshak Association, marking its 16th founding anniversary at the Dhaka Reporters Unity in the capital on Wednesday.
He said, "Hilsha fish may be exported to India. But after the Indian home minister's adverse comments against the Bangladeshi people, shouldn't we say that we won't give them Hilsha?"
The BNP leader said Bangladesh imports onion from India. India usually imposes ban on onion export to Bangladesh, when it faces crisis or shortage. India also increases duties to discourage onion export to Bangladesh. Thus, India sometimes does not give an inch to Bangladesh.
He hoped that the interim government would not take much time for holding a national election after completing the necessary reforms.
BNP Information Affairs Secretary Azizul Bari Helal and Research Affairs Secretary Shamimur Rahman Shamim were present, among others, on the occasion.
Meanwhile, BNP Standing Committee Member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan said the fascist Awami League (AL) government had deprived the opposition political activists from the rights of getting proper medical treatment during their days in jail.
He made the comment to the media after visiting ailing Nagorik Oikkya President Mahmudur Rahman Manna at BSMMU in the capital on Wednesday.
The BNP leader said the ousted AL government barred Manna from getting proper medical treatment in jail, and so his condition deteriorated.
BNP Chairman Khaleda Zia was also deprived of getting proper treatment while in jail during the autocratic AL regime, he added.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com