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BNP Acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has claimed that the “switch” controlling the Adani Power plant supplying electricity to Bangladesh is in India and that power supply could be halted at any time.
Rizvi made the remarks on Wednesday while speaking as the chief guest at a human chain and protest rally in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka, organised by the Bangladesh Nationalist Liberation Fighters’ Party and the Generation of Liberation War.
Referring to Bangladesh’s invitation to the BRICS summit, Rizvi claimed that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman was not invited as the prime minister of Bangladesh but as the chair of BIMSTEC. He alleged that there was a plan to keep him on the sidelines and said Tarique Rahman had protected the country’s dignity by deciding not to attend.
Criticising Bangladesh-India relations, Rizvi said that the day after the decision was made not to attend the BRICS summit, reports emerged that one unit of the Adani power plant had broken down. He claimed that the plant supplies around 1,300 megawatts of electricity to Bangladesh and that its “switch” is located in Jharkhand, India, allowing the supply to be turned on or off at any time.
Rizvi also criticised India for allegedly providing shelter to people accused of involvement in the killing and repression of Sheikh Hasina and 1,400 students and members of the public. He questioned why those accused had not been returned to Bangladesh.
On the ongoing power and energy crisis, Rizvi said the current government was not responsible for the situation, describing it as a consequence of global circumstances. He said the government was seeking to import gas from Indonesia, Malaysia and Myanmar as an alternative.
He also claimed that remittance inflows had increased despite the crisis and that the country’s foreign-exchange reserves had risen by two and a half to three times compared with the period under Sheikh Hasina.
Referring to recent incidents involving Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) and surrounding areas, Rizvi alleged that a section was seeking revenge on behalf of the defeated forces of 1971 and wanted to turn Madhur Canteen into “Bishram Manzil.”
He warned that freedom fighters and ordinary citizens would thwart any conspiracy and protect the country’s sovereignty and democracy.
Leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Liberation Fighters’ Party, including its president Ishtiaq Aziz Ulfat, senior vice-president Alamgir Kabir, general secretary Dr KM I Monty, Abdul Hakim and organising secretary Mia Mohammad Anwar, were present at the programme.
