New Delhi blasts not to affect Saarc summit: Khaleda, Hasina condemn carnage
By Our Correspondent
DHAKA, Oct 30: Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister M. Morshed Khan on Sunday dismissed the possibilities of any adverse impact of the New Delhi bomb blasts on next month’s Saarc Summit in Dhaka and said the South Asian nations could jointly fight terrorism.
“We want to work together as we are determined to eliminate terrorism from our region and the globe,” said the minister while responding to press queries of his office on Sunday afternoon, a day after the serial bombings in the Indian capital.
Describing the Saturday’s series of terror strikes in Delhi as a ‘heinous and unfortunate’ incident, Mr Khan said the Saarc leaders at Nov 12-13 summit could effectively discuss the issue of terrorism.
In this regard, he observed that terrorism could be effectively dealt with if the Saarc Additional Protocol on Suppression of Terrorism was implemented by the member-states.
The 12th summit in Islamabad endorsed the protocol, while Bangladesh, India, Bhutan and the Maldives have ratified the pact. For putting into effect for a common struggle against acts of terrorism, three other members of the Saarc will need to ratify the protocol.
Khaleda, Hasina condemn blasts: Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Sheiklh Hasina separately condemned Saturday’s serial bomb blasts in New Delhi.
“I’m deeply shocked and saddened to learn about the blasts in New Delhi that killed and injured many innocent civilians,” Ms Khaleda said in a condolence message to her Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh.
“The government and the people of Bangladesh condemn this act of terrorism in the strongest terms and hope that those responsible for this heinous crime would be brought to justice.”
Ms Khaleda expressing her ‘determination’ to fight against terrorism, and said: “Bangladesh has always been opposed to terrorism and will continue to actively cooperate with the international community in the global war against terrorism, and also to strength our efforts to keep the South Asian region free from the scourge of terrorism.”
In a separate statement here, Sheikh Hasina, president of the opposition Awami League and leader of the opposition in Bangladesh parliament, condemned the deadly blasts in New Delhi terming the attack ‘barbarous and cowardly’. “Those who launched such attacks were enemies of humanity, democracy, peace and development.”
She also reiterated her stance against terrorism and urged all to build up united resistance against the menace.
