Dhaka/New Delhi: Bangladesh’s ties with India under the stewardship of the new interim govt in Dhaka won’t be affected even if deposed PM Sheikh Hasina remains New Delhi’s guest for an extended period of time, foreign affairs adviser Md Touhid Hossain said Monday. His remarks can give the beleaguered Awami League chief some breathing space and be seen as reassuring for India.
Hasina was initially understood to have sought refuge in India “only for the moment”.
“Bilateral relations are a much larger issue. Friendship is based on mutual interest,” Hossain said. “We will… always strive to maintain our good relations (with India),” Hossain said after a meeting foreign diplomats in Dhaka to brief them about the situation and efforts to restore law and order.
“This (Bangladesh objecting to Hasina staying longer in India) is a hypothetical question. There is no reason for that. Why should relations with a particular country be affected if someone stays there?” Hossain said.
His statement is seen as reassuring for India as the UK and other Western countries dither on offering Hasina asylum. BNP, a major political force in Bangladesh, has already cautioned India against hosting her indefinitely.
How the interim government may finally want to deal with Hasina remains open to speculation as Bangladesh also hasn’t ruled out efforts to seek her deportation. Hossain had said the previous day that the interim govt would follow the law ministry’s advice on the issue.
For India, the challenge will be to ensure that its ties with Hasina, as reflected in her decision to land here after fleeing Bangladesh, don’t come in the way of likely efforts in the next few months to rebuild its relationship with ex-PM Khaleda Zia’s BNP. India has had a rocky past with BNP because of the bitter rivalry between its ailing chairperson and Hasina.
A senior BNP functionary said last week that the people of Bangladesh weren’t going to take kindly to India offering her a temporary home.
“Right now, she is the most wanted person in Bangladesh for numerous crimes – from murders and forced disappearances to massive corruption like siphoning out billions of dollars,” said party spokesperson Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury.
Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India’s ministry of external affairs, told reporters in Delhi that the Centre had little to do with Hasina’s plans. “We don’t have an update on her plans. It is for her to take things forward,” he said.
At his meeting with foreign diplomats, including Indian high commissioner Pranay Kumar Verma, Hossain reiterated that violence against any religious or ethnic group wouldn’t be tolerated. The assurance comes amid India demanding that the interim govt ensure the safety of minority communities, particularly Hindus.
Bangladesh’s home adviser Sakhawat Hossain said that the interim govt headed by Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus was contemplating declaring a three-day Durga Puja holiday for Hindus in an apparent outreach towards the minority community.
“Durga Puja is their biggest festival…Even if that (his proposal) doesn’t happen, there should at least be a two-day holiday. With just a single day off, those who have jobs cannot participate in the festival,” Sakhawat said.
Among those who attended the meeting with the foreign adviser was Chinese ambassador Yao Wen. Talking to reporters later, Yao said political change was an internal matter of Bangladesh and it wasn’t China’s policy to interfere in any country’s affairs.
“We welcome the formation of an interim govt in Bangladesh. We want to continue working with the Bangladesh govt and expand the scope of our strategic relationship’,” he said.
Hasina was initially understood to have sought refuge in India “only for the moment”.
“Bilateral relations are a much larger issue. Friendship is based on mutual interest,” Hossain said. “We will… always strive to maintain our good relations (with India),” Hossain said after a meeting foreign diplomats in Dhaka to brief them about the situation and efforts to restore law and order.
“This (Bangladesh objecting to Hasina staying longer in India) is a hypothetical question. There is no reason for that. Why should relations with a particular country be affected if someone stays there?” Hossain said.
His statement is seen as reassuring for India as the UK and other Western countries dither on offering Hasina asylum. BNP, a major political force in Bangladesh, has already cautioned India against hosting her indefinitely.
How the interim government may finally want to deal with Hasina remains open to speculation as Bangladesh also hasn’t ruled out efforts to seek her deportation. Hossain had said the previous day that the interim govt would follow the law ministry’s advice on the issue.
For India, the challenge will be to ensure that its ties with Hasina, as reflected in her decision to land here after fleeing Bangladesh, don’t come in the way of likely efforts in the next few months to rebuild its relationship with ex-PM Khaleda Zia’s BNP. India has had a rocky past with BNP because of the bitter rivalry between its ailing chairperson and Hasina.
A senior BNP functionary said last week that the people of Bangladesh weren’t going to take kindly to India offering her a temporary home.
“Right now, she is the most wanted person in Bangladesh for numerous crimes – from murders and forced disappearances to massive corruption like siphoning out billions of dollars,” said party spokesperson Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury.
Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India’s ministry of external affairs, told reporters in Delhi that the Centre had little to do with Hasina’s plans. “We don’t have an update on her plans. It is for her to take things forward,” he said.
At his meeting with foreign diplomats, including Indian high commissioner Pranay Kumar Verma, Hossain reiterated that violence against any religious or ethnic group wouldn’t be tolerated. The assurance comes amid India demanding that the interim govt ensure the safety of minority communities, particularly Hindus.
Bangladesh’s home adviser Sakhawat Hossain said that the interim govt headed by Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus was contemplating declaring a three-day Durga Puja holiday for Hindus in an apparent outreach towards the minority community.
“Durga Puja is their biggest festival…Even if that (his proposal) doesn’t happen, there should at least be a two-day holiday. With just a single day off, those who have jobs cannot participate in the festival,” Sakhawat said.
Among those who attended the meeting with the foreign adviser was Chinese ambassador Yao Wen. Talking to reporters later, Yao said political change was an internal matter of Bangladesh and it wasn’t China’s policy to interfere in any country’s affairs.
“We welcome the formation of an interim govt in Bangladesh. We want to continue working with the Bangladesh govt and expand the scope of our strategic relationship’,” he said.