What other role could be played by the stalwart of the seat power since the real power is with the eternal freinds( as reported by news media day in and day out) as loudly propagated by the two(rizvi n moshiur) newly imported unknown Chetonadhari for Hidu staan ????
On Sun, Sep 11, 2011 at 5:32 PM, Isha Khan <bdmailer@gmail.com> wrote:
Govt's transit statements contradictory: observers
Shahidul Islam Chowdhury
The Awami League-led government's ministers and advisers are making
contradictory statements on the question of Bangladesh providing
transit to India, diplomatic and political observers said on Saturday.
'Their statements on transit are contradictory and confusing,
'professor Delwar Hossain, chairman of the department of international
relations at Dhaka University, told New Age.
He said the contradictory statements reflect conflicts within the government.
Professor Delwar said the government owed it to the
nation to dispel the confusion it created to ensure clarity and
transparency about the issues.
'Otherwise it would be harmful for both the country in the long run as
well as for the government,' he said.
He said on the one hand the prime minister's international affairs
adviser Gowher Rizvi said on June 27 it's not true that India would
not pay any fees for availing transit through Bangladesh.
But the prime minister's economic affairs adviser Mashiur Rahman said
in March that Bangladesh could not ask for tariff or fee for providing
transit.
Mashiur Rahman even said that demanding tariff for the use of transit
was against World Trade Organisation rules.
Rizvi said, 'We'll get the legal and legitimate fee from India for
using transit.
Mashiur Rahman said, 'We could demand transit fess only if we were
"uncivilized" and "uneducated."' .
Mashiur Rahman also wrote to the National Board of Revenue and the
ministries of commerce and shipping not to charge India fees for the
movement of its goods through Bangladesh.
The Centre for Policy Dialogue said its studies done in November last
year showed that Bangladesh could earn $2.3 billion in 30 years by
providing transit facilities to India, Nepal and Bhutan.
CPD said that its study showed that Bangladesh could earn 10 per cent
of the potential revenue in first five years as transit fees would be
low in the initial years when the infrastructure would have to be
built.
An Asian Development Bank study estimated that Bangladesh could earn
annual revenue of $1 billion on completion of the needed
infrastructure in five years.
ADB said, initially, Bangladesh could earn annual revenue of $50 million.
Projected returns on transit are based on imposition and collection of
transit fees and charges.
But finance minister AMA Muhith said in November last year that the
existing transit rules of the National Board of Revenue would be
amended and to re-fix the transit fees.
Rizvi said on August 28 that there was no need for Bangladesh and
India to sign 'any new agreement' on transit as they had signed two
bilateral trade agreements in 1972 and 1980 envisaging road, rail and
waterway transit facilities.
He also said that there should be no further delay in providing
transit to India.
'We've waited for 40 years to offer transit to India. We can't wait
anymore,' Rizvi said.
Foreign minister Dipu Moni said on September 4 that the two countries
would exchange letters allowing India to use of Chittagong and Mongla
seaports for its trade with third countries.
Senior government officials said that Bangladesh and India would need
to sign a formal agreement for providing any such transit facilities.
Dhaka stepped back from signing and exchanging the letters on transit
at the last minute after India suddenly declined to sign Teesta
sharing agreement during Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh's recent
visit to Dhaka.
Muhith said in December the government would not allow 'corridor' to
any country, and that it would only provide transit facility to India.
'Ideas on regional connectivity need to be clarified. The government
is not going to give a corridor. It is a political idea, but transit
is a different concept. Under transit, goods come in and go out,' he
said.
According to the World Trade Organisations, transit is a passage for
transferring goods and passengers from one country to another country
through or across a third country or more countries.
Corridor is usually provided through road, rail, air, river and sea
for passage of goods and people between two points of a country
through or across another country.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dhakamails/message/9406
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