Awami League spokesperson Syed Ashraful Islam, rejecting BNP's demands to take action against Indian high commissioner Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty, said Thursday that the envoy did not overstep diplomatic norms in remarks about the Tipaimukh dam.

Ashraf, also local government minister, called on the main opposition BNP to come to parliament and voice their objections.

BNP called for Chakravarty's withdrawal in a meeting of the parliamentary standing committee on foreign ministry earlier in the day. Mahbub Uddin Khokan, the lone opposition member on the standing committee, also urged the foreign ministry to go public with the data on the controversial dam.

Despite boycotting parliament, BNP has been voicing strong opposition against India's planned hydroelectric project on the Barak river in Monipur, upstream of the Surma, Kushiara and Meghna rivers in Bangladesh.

Chakravarty last month took a swipe at certain groups, including the opposition, for speaking against the dam and for alleged anti-India comments, which he said were aimed at gaining "political mileage". Her made the remarks at a seminar on Bangladesh-India Friendship Association in the presence of foreign minister Dipu Moni.

Dipu Moni, in a press conference on Wednesday, said that the Indian high commissioner "may have" breached diplomatic norms with his remarks on Bangladesh's internal affairs and the controversial Tipaimukh dam project.

Pressed by reporters Thursday about Dipu Moni's comment on Chakravarty 'breaching norms', Ashraful said, "I personally do not think so." "We should all pay more attention strengthening relations between the two countries, rather than creating complications," he added.

Ashraf also said: "In our country, envoys of India, European Union and others discuss things and give their opinions very frankly." Ashraf was speaking to reporters after attending a meeting of Shecchasebak League at the Awami League central office at Bangabandhu Avenue.

- bdnews