Economist Anu Muhammad on Saturday urged the interim government to disclose all treaties with India and find ways to cancel the treaties that are against national interest.
He said that now ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina made agreements with India that grossly undermined Bangladesh鈥檚 interest. 聽
His remarks came at a seminar titled 鈥業ndia鈥檚 dominance in Bangladesh: nature and remedies,鈥� organised by the quarterly journal Sarbojonkotha at the National Press Club in Dhaka.
Terming the power plant projects, including Rooppur, Adani and Rampal, against the national interest, Professor Anu Muhammad called on the interim government to cancel them. He also said that the continuation of these projects would cause more damage than halting them.
The interim government鈥檚 first priority was to investigate a way out to cancel the anti-people deals, he added.
Continuation of these projects would not only cause financial losses, but also push the country towards an existential crisis, he added.
Anu Muhammad said that Sheikh Hasina made these unconditional treaties with India to remain in power without election for an indefinite period.
鈥楬asina鈥檚 total dependence was on India which gave India an opportunity for aggression against Bangladesh, and in return, India is now giving her shelter,鈥� he said.
India used the dictatorial government period over 2014鈥�2024 as a key tool for their aggression.
He criticised the neighbouring country for preferring bilateral negotiations while avoiding multilateral platforms like The聽South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, ignoring regional cooperation.
鈥楴ow, the people of Bangladesh have specific complaints regarding India. This is not about Hindu-Muslim issues. It concerns imperialist expansion,鈥� he said.
Bangladesh鈥檚 conflict with India is essentially a conflict for sovereignty, he said, emphasising the need to express solidarity with those within India who are oppressed by the Indian government.
Without such solidarity, true liberation would not be achieved, he said, adding that it was crucial to build South Asian solidarity which could serve as an effective strategy against Indian dominance.
The economist also said that Bangladesh must continue engaging in multilateral discussions to tackle these challenges by joining the United Nations Water Convention and participating in relevant international conventions.
Dhaka University professor and University Grants Commission Mohammad Tanzimuddin Khan said, 鈥楾he treaties with India are not just about dominance, but also about oppression.鈥�
鈥極ur physical existence is at risk because of this. We still have multilateral opportunities even if bilateral opportunities decrease.鈥�
Dhaka University teacher Moshahida Sultana said that India had established dominance in South Asia through bilateral agreements rather than fostering regional cooperation, leaving Bangladesh particularly vulnerable.
She warned that India might pose strategic risks in the future, similar to Russia鈥檚 threats to Ukraine鈥檚 nuclear facilities.
Noting the negative impact of the Adani, Rooppur and Rampal power deals, she also urged the government to cancel the treaties.