Shafiqure Rahman Says Bangladesh’s Foreign Policy Will No Longer Be Controlled by Others

Opposition leader Amir Shafiqure Rahman has said Bangladesh’s foreign policy will no longer be dictated by any other country, while calling for stronger measures to protect national interests.

He made the remarks in his concluding speech at the third session of the 13th National Parliament on Thursday night. During his nearly 40-minute speech, he discussed foreign relations, border killings, constitutional reform, the trial of the July massacre, corruption, the economy and the crisis in the industrial sector.

The session was presided over by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed.

Shafiqure Rahman said Bangladesh would maintain friendly relations with neighbouring countries, but national interests must remain the top priority. He also said Bangladesh should be prepared to respond firmly when necessary.

He said the era of Bangladesh’s foreign policy being influenced or controlled by others had come to an end.

Call to End Border Killings

Shafiqure Rahman called for effective measures to stop killings along the Bangladesh-India border.

Referring to Felani Khatun, he said he did not want to see the body of another Bangladeshi citizen hanging from a border fence.

He also urged the government to take a strong position on renewing the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty and finding a permanent solution to the long-standing Teesta water-sharing crisis.

Constitutional Reform and Referendum

The opposition leader called for respect for the outcome of the referendum held on February 12, in which 68.2 percent of voters reportedly voted in favour.

He stressed the need for structural changes to prevent the recurrence of authoritarian rule in the future.

According to him, constitutional amendments through the conventional process could face legal challenges in the courts. He therefore proposed that constitutional reform be carried out through a Constituent Assembly or Reform Council.

Call for Speedy Trial of July Massacre

Shafiqure Rahman also expressed concern over what he described as a slowdown in the trial process related to the July massacre.

He called for the trials to be completed quickly in accordance with the expectations of the families of those killed.

Concerns Over Development Allocations

The opposition leader raised concerns over alleged disparities in development allocations for lawmakers and reserved-seat women members of parliament.

He said the state is run with the taxpayers’ money of around 180 million people and called for development opportunities and allocations to be distribute