There is no possibility of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman visiting India before the upcoming session of the United Nations General Assembly, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir said on Saturday.
Although the date of the prime minister’s proposed visit to India has not yet been finalised, bilateral discussions on the matter are underway, he said during an exchange of views with leaders of the Electronic Media Journalists Association (EMJA) in Sylhet on Saturday morning.
The meeting was arranged following an incident on Friday in which journalists covering the state minister’s programme were allegedly harassed.
Television journalists in Sylhet on Friday decided to boycott news coverage of the state minister and the local BNP after several media workers were allegedly harassed by political activists at the Hazrat Shahjalal Shrine.
Kobir, who was visiting Sylhet for the first time since taking office as state minister, offered prayers at the shrine after Jumma prayers. According to a pre-scheduled programme, he was also due to brief the media on the shrine premises.
The 81st session of the UN General Assembly will formally open on 8 September, with world leaders expected to gather at UN Headquarters in New York later this month for the annual high-level general debate.
Responding to questions from journalists after the meeting, Kobir said the extent of corruption in the energy sector in the past could be understood from the overall condition of the sector.
He said the current government was giving the energy sector the highest priority.
The state minister also said discussions were underway on the Mecca Pact and that Bangladesh’s decision to join the agreement would not be unusual.
“Many countries in the world are part of multiple security alliances. Bangladesh will join wherever necessary based on its national interests,” he said.
Asked about the purchase of Boeing aircraft, Kobir said Bangladesh was not under any pressure to buy Boeing planes.
“Bangladesh is buying Boeing aircraft from the United States because there is a demand for them. More aircraft may be purchased if necessary,” he said.
BNP Central Assistant Organising Secretary and Sylhet WASA Chairman Miftah Siddique, and Sylhet district BNP General Secretary and Sylhet-6 MP Imran Ahmed Chowdhury, were present at the meeting.
Meanwhile, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat said on Monday that Bangladesh was purchasing 14 Boeing aircraft from the United States and also planned to lease additional aircraft.
“The US had requested that Bangladesh use Boeing aircraft and the government is acting accordingly,” he told reporters at the conference room of the Mymensingh Deputy Commissioner’s Office in response to a question about the government’s reported plan to purchase Boeing aircraft from the United States.
