Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has thanked the Indian government and all the oppositions for their support that led to the ratification of the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) by their parliament.
She has also said described the ratification of the agreement as a great diplomatic success of her government.
Addressing a reception accorded to her by Jatiya Nagarik Committee at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital yesterday, the prime minister said Bangabandhu had signed the land boundary deal and Bangladesh’s constitution was also amended after that.
“But after Bangabandhu’s death in 1975, no step was taken to implement the agreement. We have resolved the longstanding issue through bilateral discussions after all these years.”
Early in May, the Indian parliament passed a constitutional amendment bill seeking to settle the 41-year-old border dispute between the two neighbouring countries.
The bill will cause the 1974 India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement to take effect, paving the way for the exchange of 161 enclaves held by the two countries.
The premier yesterday reached the reception venue shortly after 4pm and was welcomed with the national anthem. She said the mass reception was not for her but for the achievement of all the people in Bangladesh.
She also said there had been numerous successes both at home and abroad and the credit for all those should go to the people as they had voted her party to power in 2008 and again in 2014.
“After the killings of my family members in 1975, I returned home just to ensure that people’s rights and democracy were established. I do not fear death. My fight for the people is going on, and no-one can stop that,” said Hasina, also the Awami League president.
She claimed her government was focusing on regional connectivity to build a developed nation.
“The Awami League always believes that all countries in the world are friends of Bangladesh and not enemies. So we try to maintain healthy ties with any foreign country.”
