Khaleda Zia raps Hasina for power deal with India
By IANSTuesday, June 8, 2010
DHAKA - Bangladesh opposition leader Khaleda Zia has
criticised the Sheikh Hasina government for signing a deal with India to generate more power in the country.
She has instead asked the government to give top priority to gas exploration to increase the power output.
Three days before Finance Minister A.M.A. Muith presents the budget for 2010-11, Zia focussed her criticism of the government over two agreements on power and security it signed with India in January.
Her Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has called for a nationwide strike June 27 against the pacts.
Bangladesh and India have agreed to set up a 1,310 MW coal-fired power plant in southwestern Bangladesh as a joint venture. The two countries also signed a memorandum of understanding on exchange of power during off-peak hours when Sheikh Hasina visited India in January.
Zia termed the Awami League government’s power generation plans as “grandiose”.
In contrast, she voiced her support to an agreement with Russia on a 1,000 MW nuclear power station, The Daily Star reported Tuesday.
