Dipu comes under fire for frequent foreign trips

DHAKA, June 10: Opposition MPs came down heavily on Foreign Minister Dipu Moni in Parliament on Monday for what they said her frequent foreign tours.

They turned their fire to the Foreign Minister when Cultural Affairs Minister Abul Kalam Azad, in absence of Dipu Moni, demanded an additional amount of Tk 9.63 crore to meet the expenditure of her ministry for the outgoing fiscal.

Abul Khair Bhuiyan (Luxmipur-2) told the House that had there been any Nobel Prize for tours, Dipu Moni would have won that.

He also said they do not know how many days in a year the foreign minister stay in Bangladesh.

Rehana Akter Ranu said the foreign minister takes her breakfast in Dhaka, lunch in Delhi, afternoon snacks in Malaysia and dinner in New York.

AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon said when the Foreign Minister flies from one country to another, Bangladeshi nationals are killed like birds by the Indian security forces along the border.

He said the government’s weak foreign policy failed ensure Bangladesh’s interests.

Zainul Abedin (Feni-2), Nazim Uddin Ahmed (Laxmipur-1), Jafrul Islam Chowdhury ((Chittagong-15), Lutfar Rahman (Cox’s Bazar-3), Syeda Ashifa Ashrafi Papia (Women Seat-41), Rasheda Begum Hira (Women Seat-39), Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee (Laxmipur-3), Nilufar Chowdhury Moni (Women Seat-37) and M Harunur Rashid (Chandpur-4), and independent MP Fazlul Azim also sharply criticized the Foreign Minister.

Cultural Affairs Minister Abul Kalam Azad tried to defend Dipu Moni and said the government’s foreign policy has revived Bangladesh’s image abroad.