Foreign adviser Touhid Hossain has responded to Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar’s statement saying that India also has to decide what kind of relationship it wants with Bangladesh.
After facing a question at a press briefing at the ministry of foreign affairs on Monday, the adviser countering his counterpart in India, said: “Mr Jaishankar said that Bangladesh has to decide what kind of relationship it wants with India, and my comment on that is at the same time India has to decide what kind of relationship it wants with Bangladesh.”
“This is the issue for both sides, and there is nothing wrong in making this observation,” he continued.
The adviser furthered: “I think we have a very clear decision over the issue and that is we want good working relations with India. And it is on the basis of mutual respect and reciprocal interest.”
“But he (Jaishankar) said that many in Bangladesh are making negative remarks against India. I do not want to say whether it is justified or not, but my point is that people from both sides are making such remarks,” Touhid Hossain said, adding: “A chief minister of one of their states already called for deployment of UN forces in Bangladesh. Another of their central ministers has been making remarks against Bangladesh frequently. Having this situation we are trying to advance our relationship.”
“So, our position is that. We need to move forward to have a better relation brushing aside the silly comments made by a handful of people,” he explains.
However, the adviser categorically said that the objectionable remarks made by ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, now in refuge in India, is an impediment to advancing the bilateral ties.
“If any kind of untoward situation arises here, we will address it, but it is recognized by all that her speeches are adding fuel to the fire,” the foreign adviser notes.
Talking about the visa reduction, he said: “At the same manner issuing visa to Bangladeshis is absolutely their sovereign right and we have nothing to say about it. But when we see that the number of visas is reduced, we will definitely look for alternative ways. It is very natural.”
On Jaishankar's comment about minorities in Bangladesh he said the Indian media have created a fake news campaign to establish that minorities are being tortured here, and on the basis of this campaign, many persons are raising such allegations.
“Moreover, minorities living in Bangladesh cannot be the headache of Indians as minorities in India cannot be our headache. We should stick to non-interference policy about it,” he said.
Bd-Pratidin English/ AM
