No plan to dismantle Planning Commission
Says PM adviser Mashiur Rahman
KUMKUM CHADHA from New Delhi
Bangladesh has no plans to dismantle its Planning Commission to introduce an institution like Niti Ayog, that was recently done in India. It would,however, take good practices from the newly founded Niti Ayog. Bangladesh does not have a federal structure and therefore a Niti Ayog like institution would be counterproductive and irrelevant. This was stated by Dr Mashiur Rahman, Advisor on Economic Affairs to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Rahman is on an official visit to India. He held consultations with key people including Indias Niti Ayog (Policy Commission) Vice Chairman Aravind Panagariya and its member Bibek Debroy here. The Indian government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had abolished the Planning Commission, that had been in existence since independence on the grounds that it had outlived its utility. In its place, Niti Ayog has been set up to look at long-term planning rather than micro policy. The move has been slammed by opposition parties. There is, Rahman said considerable overlap of activities of the Niti Ayog in Bangladesh Planning Commission which any money now to protest against Rampal.
He added: Our force is not money. We dont have money and we dont want it. Were working only for national interest and our main force is the ordinary people. Replying to a query, Anu Muhammad said they were ready for a dialogue on the issue if the Prime Minister so desired. But the dialogue has to be meaningful. Earlier, we sat with the state minister, Nasrul Hamid, and expressed our views clearly. Yet, the government signed the agreement for the Rampal plant just a week later, he added.
Replying to another query, Anu Muhammad said after the Prime Ministers press briefing, activists of Awami League and Chhatra League prevented them from carrying out their protest. He said Dilip Roy, a leader of the Rajshahi University (RU) students organisation Biplobi Chhatra Maitri, was arrested for a Facebook post over the Prime Ministers Rampal briefing. He was arrested after the RUs Chhatra League unit filed a case with the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act against him. Any person with a sense of humour will understand that Roy meant no harm through his Facebook post; yet he was arrested for raising his voice. If this continues, then its matter of serious concern for us. Replying to another question, Anu Muhammad said protesting against Rampal did not mean that the committee was taking any anti-India stand. I am sure if the Rampal plant is implemented, it will create more anti-India sentiment than what it is doing now. Earlier, in a written statement, the national committee presented its counter-argument to the Prime Ministers views stated in her press briefing favouring the Rampal plant. Sheikh Mohammad Shahidullah, convener of the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports, Leftist leader Ruhin Hossain Prince, energy expert BD Rahmatullah and others were present at the press conference.
