Dhaka desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said there is nothing obligatory to purchase arms from any particular country as per the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on defence cooperation between Bangladesh and India.
“It's not binding in the MoU to purchase arms. It totally depends on us. We're getting US$ 500 million from India at 1 percent interest for 20 years. That's it,” she said.
The Prime Minister was responding to queries from senior journalists during a press conference at her official residence Ganobhaban in the afternoon.
The press conference was arranged to brief the media on the outcome of her India visit.
Bangladesh and India on Saturday signed the MoU on extending defence line of credit of USD 500 million along with 35 other MoUs and agreements.
The Prime Minister said under the MoU, members of defence forces from the two countries will get training and hold consultation meetings. “Our defence force is strong enough, but there's no end to acquiring knowledge as well as learning and training,” she said.
She said Bangladesh will decide what type of equipment it will purchase. “This is our own jurisdiction… there'll be no interference from them,” she said.
Hasina said Bangladesh is currently purchasing various defence equipment from various countries around the world, even from Pakistan.
She also said a process is underway to ink MoUs with Bahrain, Canada, Check Republic, Italy, the KSA, Qatar, Malaysia, Palestine, the Philippines, Serbia, Russia, South Korea and the US in this regard.
There are agreements on the same purpose with Belarus, China, France, Kuwait, Russia and Turkey, the Prime Minister said.
She said India is friendly to Bangladesh and this country helped a lot during the Liberation War in 1971 directly with arms and assistance.
Mentioning that members of Indian defence forces gave away their lives in the Liberation War Hasina posed a question, “Why is there so many questions over just an MoU?”
She made it clear that she will not allow anything that goes against the country's interest. “As long as I'm live, I won't allow anything against the interest of Bangladesh.”
The Prime Minister again said Bangladesh is an independent and sovereign country, but reaching an understanding with the neighbouring countries is a must. “Sheikh Hasina never sells the country. She knows how to protect the country's interest…. she knows how to develop the country,” she said.unb
