On Monday, a senior adviser to the caretaker government of Bangladesh said that ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s prolonged stay in India will not adversely affect bilateral ties and that Dhaka will strive to maintain friendly relations with New Delhi. Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain expressed these views in response to questions about the possible impact on bilateral ties if Hasina’s stay in India is prolonged, news agency PTI reported.
On the hypothetical nature of the issue, Hossain said, “If someone resides in a country, why should that affect relations with that country? There is no basis for that,” PTI quoted him as saying, stressing the importance of bilateral relations.
Following widespread protests against her administration over a controversial job quota system, Hasina, 76, resigned and sought refuge in India last week. Hossain said bilateral relations depended on mutual interests and friendship. “Friendship does not exist if interests are hurt,” he added.
He added that both nations, Bangladesh and India, have their respective interests and intend to uphold them. According to Hossain, the bilateral relationship is “not influenced by the presence of any individual in a nation” while “India has its interests and Bangladesh has its own.”
Hossain reiterated that they will “always try to maintain good relations” with India. Earlier, he briefed diplomats in Dhaka, including Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma, on the current situation in Bangladesh and sought their support.
Hossain assured the diplomats: “We are confident that all our friends and partners in the international community will continue to support the interim government and our people as we navigate towards a new future for Bangladesh.”
As a seasoned diplomat and former foreign secretary, Hossain reaffirmed Bangladesh’s dedication to honouring all existing agreements with other nations. He accused the previous Awami League government of gross human rights violations in its attempt to quell a widespread movement, which eventually led to its overthrow.
“The undeniable strength of the people has historically precipitated the downfall of authoritarian regimes,” Hossain said, noting that Bangladesh had experienced a “second liberation” the previous week, sparked by a mass movement led by “our brave students.”
The advisor affirmed the interim government’s dedication to meeting the renewed aspirations of the people and expressed confidence that the international community will persist in supporting the interim government and the people of Bangladesh in their efforts to achieve a new beginning.
“Bangladesh is on the threshold of a new dawn,” he added. The adviser briefed the diplomats on the government’s swift and decisive measures to restore law and order and bring normalcy back to the entire country.
The briefing was attended by delegates from all diplomatic missions in Dhaka, including those from UN agencies, who raised questions about security protocols, the situation of the Rohingya and prevailing conditions.
“We assure that the well-being and protection of diplomatic and consular facilities and staff will remain a primary concern,” Hossain said, stressing the interim government’s awareness of the importance of safeguarding all foreign nationals.
Hossain declared the government’s commitment to ensuring a smooth transition to “an inclusive and diverse electoral democracy as soon as possible.”
At his inaugural press conference at the Foreign Office on Sunday, when asked about Hasina’s possible repatriation, Hossain said such matters were under the jurisdiction of the Law Ministry and his department would only react to such a request.
“Our strategy is to maintain friendly relations with all nations while safeguarding our sovereign interests,” said Hossain, who holds a post equivalent to that of a minister.
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