Dhaka: Amid an ongoing diplomatic row over the arrest of a Hindu priest, Bangladesh on Saturday said India needs to address Dhaka’s longstanding concerns to improve bilateral ties but remained optimistic about good relations with bilateral interests protected.
Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain also acknowledged that there is a “change in the relations” between the two neighbours after August 5 and said it is a “reality.”
India needs to address Bangladesh’s longstanding concerns to improve bilateral ties between Dhaka and New Delhi, Hossain said adding: “Bangladesh’s previous (ousted) government addressed the concerns of India, but India did not address Bangladesh’s concerns.”
Deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India on August 5 following widespread protests against her Awami League-led government over a controversial job quota system. Three days later, Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel laureate, took over as the Chief Adviser of the interim government.
The diplomatic row erupted between India and Bangladesh after Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former member of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), was arrested from Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Monday.
Das, the spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, was denied bail and sent to jail by the Chattogram’s Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate court in a sedition case on Tuesday. It triggered clashes between his supporters and the security personnel that led to the killing of a lawyer.
Hossain was speaking at a roundtable titled ‘Bangladesh-India Relations: Expectations, Barriers and Future’ organised by the South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance (SIPG) and the Department of Political Science & Sociology (PSS), North South University here, state-run news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) said.
The Foreign Affairs Adviser acknowledged that “there is a change in the relations after August 5,” and said, “This is reality” but remained optimistic about bilateral relationship despite current diplomatic challenges.
“Dhaka wants to remain optimistic that we would be able to establish a good relation with India making sure that bilateral interests are protected,” BSS said quoting Hossain.
He emphasised the importance of a national consensus on foreign policy, saying Bangladesh could not fully capitalise its potentials due to political divisions.
Following this week’s anti-Hindu incidents — including Das’ arrest and attacks on Hindu temples and community members — India on Friday said the interim government in Bangladesh must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities as it expressed serious concern over the “surge” of extremist rhetoric and increasing incidents of violence against Hindus as well as attacks on temples.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told Parliament that India has taken serious note of incidents of violence against minorities in Bangladesh and that it is the primary responsibility of Dhaka to protect the life and liberty of all the citizens, including minorities.
On the other hand, Bangladesh on Friday expressed deep concern over the violent protest at the Deputy High Commission in Kolkata and urged New Delhi to ensure the safety of all its diplomatic missions in India.
Among other issues, Hossain also pointed out that there has been no progress on crucial issues between Bangladesh and India such as the Teesta water sharing agreement or the troubling problem of border killings, the BSS added.
PTI
