Dhaka seeks balanced, respectful ties with New Delhi: Foreign Adviser

 
Dhaka seeks a balanced and respectful partnership with New Delhi, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain has said, urging India to reciprocate Bangladesh's desire for stronger bilateral ties. In an opinion piece for The Indian Express, published on Thursday, Touhid Hossain said he and the interim government's Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus, chief adviser of Bangladesh's interim government, were willing to work with due seriousness to build on the positive aspects of the bilateral relationship with India and pragmatically address areas of tension and misunderstanding.

He acknowledged that Dhaka-Delhi relations had reached a "critical juncture" following the ouster of the Awami League regime amid a student-led mass uprising last year.

"It seems to me that the Indian establishment failed to anticipate the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government. It is, nevertheless, necessary to remind ourselves of the common interests and collaborative possibilities between our two nations."

"Our position has been clear from the outset: We want a good working relationship with India based on mutual respect," Touhid wrote.

He continued: "We hope and expect that our counterparts in India will reciprocate our desire. The December visit of Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri to Dhaka was a step in the right direction. The history of collaboration between our nations goes back to the birth of Bangladesh, and its continuation will be beneficial to the people of both countries."

The Adviser stated that there had been significant noise in India regarding the treatment of Hindus in Bangladesh.

Touhid Hossain said during the brief period of instability following the fall of the previous regime, law and order had not been fully maintained, leading to some incidents.

While these had primarily affected individuals linked to the former regime - mostly Muslims - some Hindus had also been impacted, Touhid added.
Touhid Hossain mentioned that after taking power, the interim government swiftly acted against the perpetrators. "Citizens throughout the country also stepped forward to courageously and successfully protect Hindu families and temples."

However, despite these efforts, Indian media and online platforms continued to spread exaggerated and often false allegations, fuelling negative narratives, the diplomat said.

The Foreign Affairs Adviser invited Indian journalists to visit Bangladesh and report freely on the situation, adding that their unbiased investigations would allow the Indian public to see the truth firsthand.

Touhid Hossain said Delhi's response so far to Dhaka's attempts to revive SAARC had not been positive, citing that Bangladesh did not believe its neighbour had anything to fear from this effort.

Touhid Hossain commented that despite challenges, signs of progress in bilateral ties included a fishermen's exchange and a trilateral deal granting Bangladesh limited access to Nepal's hydroelectric power.