Mohammad Touhid Hossain (R) and Pranay Verma during their meeting in Dhaka. (Photo via Bangladesh foreign ministry)
New Delhi: Bangladesh’s new foreign affairs advisor, Mohammad Touhid Hossain, in a recent diplomatic briefing with the Indian high commissioner in Bangladesh, Pranay Verma, addressed the ongoing political turbulence in the country and its implications for bilateral relations with India. During the meeting, Hossain relayed the new Bangladesh interim government’s objections to the remarks made by the country’s ousted prime minister, Sheikh Hasina Wazed, which she made from India.
Hasina is alleged to have made those remarks through her London-based son, Sajeeb Wazed, who has been making political comments through mainstream and social media.
Hossain, who is a former foreign secretary of Bangladesh, criticized those remarks and described Hasina’s recent statements made during her stay in India as “not conducive” to improving bilateral relations between Dhaka and New Delhi. However, he emphasized that Hasina’s presence in India would not adversely affect the strong bilateral ties between the two neighbouring nations.
“There will be no impact on the bilateral relationship between the two countries due to one individual’s stay in another country. Bilateral relations involve substantial mutual interests. Both India and Bangladesh have their respective interests,” Hossain reportedly said.
The advisor’s remarks were made during his first diplomatic briefing, where he also called for international cooperation in Bangladesh’s nation-building efforts. He stressed the importance of adhering to international, regional, and bilateral agreements, and reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to multilateralism with the United Nations at its core.
Hossain said reports in Indian media about targeted attacks on minority communities in Bangladesh, especially Hindus, were highly exaggerated and insinuated that it would help improve ties between the two countries if the Indian media exercised self-restraint.
Hossain mentioned the visit by the head of the new interim government, Muhammad Yunus, to the Dhakeshwari temple in Dhaka as a show of the new administration’s support to the Hindu community. He said the interim government will not tolerate violence and intimidation towards minorities.
During his visit to the famous temple, after which the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, is named, Yunus met representatives of minority communities and assured justice and equal rights for all. Bangladeshi media reports quoted Yunus as saying: “We all have equal rights, we are one people with one right. Treat us all the same. Please help us. Be patient, and then judge our actions. If we fail, criticize us.”
According to a report by Bangladesh’s Daily Star, Bangladesh’s 2022 census put the number of Hindus in the country a little more than 1.31 crore, which is just a shade below 8 per cent of the country’s total population. Other religious minorities, like Buddhists, Christians, etc, together constituted less than 1 per cent of Bangladesh’s entire population.
The foreign affairs advisor also emphasized on the need for stopping the killings along the long India-Bangladesh border, finalizing the Teesta water-sharing agreement, ensuring smooth flow of essential items from India to Bangladesh, and urged New Delhi to focus more on “people-centric engagement”.
Hossain’s comments come at a time of significant political upheaval in Bangladesh. The country has seen recent replacements of intelligence chiefs and ongoing protests by minorities. The situation remains volatile, with banks facing liquidity issues and inflation reaching a 12-year high.
India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, also addressed the situation in Bangladesh during his Independence Day speech from the Red Fort on Thursday, expressing hope for peace and stability in the region. He highlighted the importance of ensuring the safety of minorities in Bangladesh and reaffirmed India’s role as a well-wisher of its neighbour.
