Dhaka: A day before the Prime Minister undertakes her India tour, BNP on Thursday alleged that the country’s people are extremely worried over the visit as the government did not clear whether a defence deal or MoU with the neighbouring country is going to be signed or not.

“There’s a speculation that a defence deal or MoU will be signed with India during the Prime Minister’s tour. But the government didn’t clearly tell the nation anything about such a sensitive issue. So, anxiety among people is growing (over the PM’s visit),” said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

He came up with the remarks at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office. 

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is going to leave here for New Delhi on Friday morning on a four-day official visit when a host of bilateral deals are expected to be signed between Bangladesh and India.

Briefing journalists on the Prime Minister’s visit here on Tuesday, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali said there are possibilities to sign 33 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) or agreements with India on various issues.

Rizvi questioned why the government is trying to sign the defence deal covertly and hurriedly when it claims Bangladesh-India ties are now at the highest peak.

He alleged that though many outstanding problems with India remain unresolved, Bangladesh government is giving the neighbouring country various facilities in exchange for nothing. “Indian policymakers are happy as they’re getting many things without making any effort. New Delhi only knows how to take, but it’s not willing to give anything.”

Calling upon Hasina not to sign the defence deal or MoU during her visit, the BNP leader warned again that the country’s people will not accept any deal that may put the country’s security at stake.

“People won’t allow anyone to weaken our defence system. They’ll protect the country’s independence and sovereignty with their heroism as they did in 1971,” he observed.