Govt must get parliamentary nod for India deals: Akbar
Sunday, 13 December 2009
FE Report
The government should get parliamentary approval for any deals it intends to sign with India or other nations, former adviser to the caretaker government Dr. Akbar Ali Khan said Saturday.
The former cabinet secretary said successive governments have kept the nation in the dark as they pursued and signed bilateral deals with other countries, in a breach to the democratic norms.
"In Bangladesh, every single decision regarding foreign relations get finalised at executive level and it is never placed before the legislature", Akbar said in the city.
"As such, the government is never directly accountable to the legislature or the people for their foreign relations move which is not ideal for a democratic society", he said while attending a round table.
The Centre for Human Rights organized the discussion on "Issues Dominating Prime Minister's Visit to Delhi: Hopes and Concerns".
Akbar's made the view ahead of the prime minister's important tour to New Delhi where she would reportedly sign five agreements and memorandums of understanding.
The government has, however, kept mum over how many deals it would sign with India and the exact nature of these agreements.
Akbar said that public support favorable to a treaty must be created before the government enters into a pact on the issue with a foreign country.
He also suggested settling disputes with India on sharing of water of some common rivers.
"Its not only about the ongoing Tipaimukh debate, but a number of other issues with regard to a number of rivers flowing across the two countries must be addressed from Bangladesh's side in advance".
Several other experts have also urged the government to safeguard Dhaka's interest on issues relating to sharing of river water and bilateral trade during the Sheikh Hasina's upcoming New Delhi visit.
They also stressed developing a stronger tie with other smaller countries in the region as well as other emerging Asian giants like China to create a balance in the country's foreign policy.
Former Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University Professor Emajuddin Ahmed suggested implementing the thorny transit issue "not in a bilateral framework but in a multilateral framework involving other countries in the region including Nepal and Bhutan".
He also said the proposed Asian Highway should not be constructed through Bangladesh unless it is not designed to link the country with Myanmar.
Professor of IBA in Dhaka University Muzaffer Ahmad said, "The government must look to extend its cooperation with India in the fields of science and technology as well as education as the Indian educational institutions are advancing enormously in these fields".
Former energy advisor Mahmudur Rahman said issues of removing para-tariff and non-tariff barriers should get preference from Bangladesh side.
The government should get parliamentary approval for any deals it intends to sign with India or other nations, former adviser to the caretaker government Dr. Akbar Ali Khan said Saturday.
The former cabinet secretary said successive governments have kept the nation in the dark as they pursued and signed bilateral deals with other countries, in a breach to the democratic norms.
"In Bangladesh, every single decision regarding foreign relations get finalised at executive level and it is never placed before the legislature", Akbar said in the city.
"As such, the government is never directly accountable to the legislature or the people for their foreign relations move which is not ideal for a democratic society", he said while attending a round table.
The Centre for Human Rights organized the discussion on "Issues Dominating Prime Minister's Visit to Delhi: Hopes and Concerns".
Akbar's made the view ahead of the prime minister's important tour to New Delhi where she would reportedly sign five agreements and memorandums of understanding.
The government has, however, kept mum over how many deals it would sign with India and the exact nature of these agreements.
Akbar said that public support favorable to a treaty must be created before the government enters into a pact on the issue with a foreign country.
He also suggested settling disputes with India on sharing of water of some common rivers.
"Its not only about the ongoing Tipaimukh debate, but a number of other issues with regard to a number of rivers flowing across the two countries must be addressed from Bangladesh's side in advance".
Several other experts have also urged the government to safeguard Dhaka's interest on issues relating to sharing of river water and bilateral trade during the Sheikh Hasina's upcoming New Delhi visit.
They also stressed developing a stronger tie with other smaller countries in the region as well as other emerging Asian giants like China to create a balance in the country's foreign policy.
Former Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University Professor Emajuddin Ahmed suggested implementing the thorny transit issue "not in a bilateral framework but in a multilateral framework involving other countries in the region including Nepal and Bhutan".
He also said the proposed Asian Highway should not be constructed through Bangladesh unless it is not designed to link the country with Myanmar.
Professor of IBA in Dhaka University Muzaffer Ahmad said, "The government must look to extend its cooperation with India in the fields of science and technology as well as education as the Indian educational institutions are advancing enormously in these fields".
Former energy advisor Mahmudur Rahman said issues of removing para-tariff and non-tariff barriers should get preference from Bangladesh side.