Hasina’s son roots for connectivity with India
December 9th, 2010 - 3:20 pm ICT by IANS
Dhaka, Dec 9 (IANS) Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s technocrat son Sajeeb Wazed Joy has strongly supported the government’s plans to “connect” with India and other neighbours and join the trans-Asian rail and road network.
“It is connectivity. Transit is an aspect. India will get transit and we will get a fee. We must get a fee. Why not,” Joy was quoted as saying by The Daily Star Thursday.
“Without connectivity and trade in this age of globalisation, the pace of growth and investment will not increase,” he said at a luncheon meeting organised by the American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (AmCham).
Bangladesh sits at the centre of three main drivers of growth in Asia — India, China and Southeast Asia. But it has failed to take advantage of geography by developing connectivity with the three economies, he said.
One reason he cited was opposition from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of Khaleda Zia, a former prime minister.
Criticising the BNP, Joy said the Awami League, led by his mother, “has moved to establish Bangladesh’s connectivity with the region, which will facilitate expansion of trade, transport and investment and boost the country’s nearly $100 billion economy.
“We’ll gain financially. We will get fees for transit of all goods through our land.”
Aside from connectivity with India, the country will have road links with Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia through the Asian Highway allowing easy access of Bangladeshi goods to those countries, he said.
In addition, as China will be linked to the Asian Highway, bilateral trade between Bangladesh and China will shoot up.
“Ultimately, it’ll benefit us,” said Sajeeb, an IT professional with graduation from Texas University who is now with the Awami League.
Bangladesh and India agreed on connectivity with Nepal and Bhutan during a visit by Hasina to New Delhi in January, when India pledged a $one billion line of credit.
Moves are afoot since then to allow India limited access to its isolated northeastern region, beginning with trans-shipment through Bangladeshi territory of heavy equipment required to set up a power plant in Tripura.
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- Hasina's son joins politics, Zia's party welcomes move - Feb 26, 2010
- Indo-Bangladesh trans-shipment agreement soon: IBCCI - May 18, 2010
- First private consignment reaches Tripura via Bangladesh - Sep 29, 2011
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- Hasina's son arrives from US, Zia's sons face arrest - Mar 01, 2010
- India only friend of Hasina government: Opposition leader - May 13, 2011
- Indian credit terms 'good', says Bangladesh - Aug 08, 2010
- India building infrastructure in northeast to boost trade - Jul 16, 2010
- ULFA paid $99 mn bribe for arms' passage in Bangladesh - Nov 11, 2010
- Bangladesh minister draws flak for 'transit' remark - Nov 04, 2010
- Hasina dispels security fears over Asian highway via India - Sep 10, 2009
Tags: amcham, american chamber of commerce, asian highway, awami league, bangladesh nationalist party, bangladesh nationalist party bnp, bilateral trade, chamber of commerce in bangladesh, connectivity, daily star, dhaka, former prime minister, india china, khaleda zia, luncheon meeting, minister sheikh hasina, neighbours, one billion, southeast asia, technocrat