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PM-PRESS CONFERENCE-DRUG-2 DHAKA
Asked about the progress over the proposed Teesta Water Sharing deal, the Prime Minister requested all to keep patience since the Indian government has assured Bangladesh of looking into the matter.
She said the purpose of her recent visit to India was not to discuss Teesta water sharing, rather to inaugurate the ‘Bangladesh Bhaban’, adding that the Joint River Commission (JRC) is there to continue discussion over the Teesta issue.
Sheikh Hasina informed that the issue is being discussed at the JRC while the Indian Prime Minister as well as the Minister for External Affairs also spoke about the matter.
She asked why Teesta Barraga was built by the then government in Bangladesh in the past since the country is in the downstream of the river.
She also questioned about the necessity of building the Teesta Barrage with such huge state exchequer since there is no water in the river when the demand is at the fullest in the dry season. “Why you’ll make a hue and cry for water in that river after making such barrage of our own.”
The Premier in this connection highlighted various steps of her government to dredge the major rivers of the country to keep up the navigability round the year including in Padma, Meghna, Jamuna, Brahmaputra, Dharla, Teesta, Paira.
If assumed office in the next time, she also revealed her plan to break down all the box culverts in the city and dredge the canals in Panthapath, Shantinagar, Begunbari and thus build roads over those canals.
When requested by a senior journalist to continue process for attaining the Nobel peace prize by the Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina said she has no such intention to continue such process as she does not have such financial capability to keep lobbyist for gaining the esteemed prize.
“Proposals in favour of me went there from various countries of the world, but I never thought of that. The most important prize for me is to ensure two square meals for my beloved countrymen so that they could live in peace,” she added.
The Premier said she has also no such desire to keep lobbyist with the amount of interest realized from the poor. “So far whatever awards I’ve received, there was no demand from myself.”
Out of the all awards that she received over her long political career, Sheikh Hasina said she would put the DLitt degree from the Kazi Nazrul University in Asansol at the top of the list saying that the talents of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam is multifaceted.
“Nazrul has given us a vast reserve of literature and there is no comparison of him,” she added.
The Prime Minister said the Rohingya issue also came up for discussion during her India trip as India is extending all sorts of support to Bangladesh including sending of sufficient aid items for the forcibly displaced Rohingya people. “India has also assured us of keeping pressure on Myanmar over the Rohingya issue.”
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