BNP's call to boycott Indian products to destabilise country's market: Hasan

Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud today (23 March) said the main aim of BNP is to destabilise the country's essential commodity market and increase the prices by calling to boycott Indian products.

Hasan, also joint secretary of Bangladesh Awami League, told journalists that many consumer products in Bangladesh come from India and this type of call will increase the sufferings of the people and hike the prices of goods.

"We have thousands of kilometres of border with India and some border trade is also done legally. You will eat onion from India, your leader will wear Saree from India, your leader who shouts in the field will also wear Indian sarees, and you will eat seheri, iftar with beef from India. A few days ago, the leader went to India for treatment... and you call for boycotting Indian products - this is nothing but a great hypocrisy," he said.

Hasan talked to journalists after joining a coordination meeting on the implementation of the government's development activities in Chattogram at the Circuit House.

When asked what kind of role the government is playing in rescuing the hijacked ship and sailors from Somali pirates, the foreign minister said, the government is trying to rescue the sailors and ship in an unharmed condition.

"Last time when MV Jahan Moni was hijacked, it took 100 days to free them. Now we are trying to free them as soon as possible," he added.

The foreign minister hoped that the government will be able to rescue the sailors and the ship soon.

Asked about the Chattogram development co-ordination meeting, Hasan said there was a detail discussion on the drainage project and "we have given importance to the coordination of the drainage project."

Hasan said, "We also discussed the importance of regular maintenance of this project as two and a half years are left for the completion of the project."

The foreign minister said that the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) has informed that the Prime Minister has already handed over five hundred acres of land to the CPA free of cost for the Bay-Terminal.

"They will get more three hundred acres of land, for which the port authority has applied. Chattogram Port has already signed MoU with DP World and Singapore Port Authority," the minister added.

He also said that the work will be done in three parts - one will be done by Chattogram Port Authority, another by Singapore Port Authority, another by DP World. Other international financial institutions including the World Bank are also joining there. This is a big step forward," he added.

The foreign minister said if there is a bay terminal, it will be a new port bigger than the Chattogram port.

Divisional Commissioner Tofael Islam presided over the function while State Minister for Finance Wasika Ayesha Khan, State Minister for Labor and Employment Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, Motaherul Islam Chowdhury, MP, Mohiuddin Bachchu, MP, MA Salam, MP, MA Motaleb, MP, CMP Commissioner Krishnapad Roy, DIG Nur-E-Alam Mina, representatives from Chattogram Development Authority, Chattogram City Corporation and other top officials of various government departments, among others, were present on the occasion. Deputy Commissioner Abul Bashar Md Fakruzzaman contacted the meeting.