Foreign adviser reacts to Jaishankar’s comments on Dhaka-Delhi ties

India has to decide what kind of relationship it wants with Bangladesh, said Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain on Monday when asked to respond to the comments of his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar.

“Mr Jaishankar said that Bangladesh has to decide what kind of relationship it wants with India, and my comment on the statement is that at the same time, India has to decide what kind of relationship it wants with Bangladesh,” the foreign adviser told the reporters at the foreign ministry.

"This is the issue for both sides, and there is nothing wrong in making this observation.”

"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,” the adviser said.

Responding to another question, he said, India needs to decide what kind of relationship they want with us.

"But he (Mr 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. A chief minister of one of their states already called for the 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 better relations, brushing aside the silly comments made by a handful of people,” he explained.

But Mr Touhid categorically said that the objectionable remarks made by former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, now in India, is an impediment to advancing bilateral ties between Bangladesh and India.

"If any kind of untoward situation arises here, we will address it, but it is recognised by all that her speeches are adding fuel to the fire,” the foreign adviser noted.

"In the same manner, issuing visas 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,” he said.

On Jaishankar’s comment about minorities in Bangladesh, he said that India media has 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 a non-interference policy about it,” he said.

He said the government is looking into the issues related to the minority people living here, as they are the citizens of Bangladesh, and they enjoy the same rights as I enjoy here.

"And the government always tries to ensure these rights,” he added.

About Donald Trump’s comment on the 29 million dollar aid to a Bangladeshi NGO, the adviser said the NGO Affairs Bureau of Bangladesh said that they could not find any such entry.

"And no NGO can have a single penny without bypassing the Bureau, he said, adding that he had not any information in addition to that.

Regarding the reports of Bangladeshis fighting in Ukraine, he said that the ministry has asked the mission in Moscow to look into the matter.

But it is hard to prevent; if they are given Russian citizenship, it will be difficult to get them back, he noted.

"Many undesirable things are happening. None want to see that a Bangladeshi is drowned in the Mediterranean Sea, but such incidents are occurring, and we cannot prevent it despite our serious efforts,” he argued.

Asked to comment on the reports that he has failed to give proper leadership in the foreign ministry in the first six months of the present government, the adviser said, "If a better alternative than me is found who can lead the foreign ministry more efficiently, I am ready to welcome him.”

[email protected]