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The tension between India and China won’t affect the ties between Bangladesh and India, experts said in a virtual conference on Tuesday.
“Any country in India’s neighbourhood except Pakistan won’t go for ‘this or that’ approach in regards to India-China tension. Pakistan will do that due to historical reasons, but other countries in our neighbourhood won’t”, said veteran Indian diplomat Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty in the conference, organised by the Asian Confluence (AC), a regional think-tank, on Tuesday.
Bangladesh took a matured approach by saying that both India and China are its development partners, said the former Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, adding there is no flashpoint in Indo-Bangla ties.
“Our ties are far more friendly and matured to have any flashpoint. Yes, we have definitely some issues but we are able to resolve it peacefully”, he observed.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam sought India’s support in resolving the Rohingya crisis.
Bangladesh immediately wants a sustainable and voluntary repatriation of the Rohingya refugees to their homeland in Myanmar, and we hope that as a non-permanent member of the UN security council India can play a meaningful role in this regard, he said.
Mr Alam also pointed out that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, despite domestic political challenges, pioneered the cause of Indo-Bangla ties, paving the way for resolving any disputed issues like land and maritime boundary.
“Our ties with India are tested time and again and it is based on a solid foundation. We are grateful to the people of India for their immense support to the millions of Bangladeshis during the liberation war. A good number of Indian soldiers also sacrificed their lives for the liberation struggle of Bangladesh”, he mentioned.
Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Doraiswami said after Bangladesh provided transit to India both countries are being benefitted.
Citing example, he said LPGs are being moved to northeast India with the help of Bangladeshi logistics.
This generates income for Bangladeshi companies as well as benefits the people of northeast India, he added.
M P Bezbaruah, chairman of the AC, presided over the discussion.
Dr Atiur Rahman, former governor of Bangladesh Bank, and Sabyasachi Duttta, among others, addressed the discussion.