Sheikh Hasina’s Stay Won’t Affect Bilateral Ties With India: Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser

A senior adviser to Bangladesh’s interim government stated on Monday that the prolonged stay of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in India will not adversely affect the bilateral relations, and Dhaka will persistently strive to maintain amicable relations with New Delhi. Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain expressed these views in response to inquiries about the potential impact on bilateral ties if Hasina’s stay in India were to extend, as reported by the news agency PTI.

Addressing the hypothetical nature of the question, Hossain said, “If someone resides in a country, why should that affect the relations with that country? There’s no basis for that,” as quoted by PTI, underscoring the significance of bilateral relations.

Following extensive protests against her administration over a disputed job quota system, Hasina, 76, resigned and sought refuge in India the previous week. Hossain commented that bilateral relations hinge on mutual interests and that friendship. “Friendship does not exist if the interest is hurt, he added.

He added that both nations, Bangladesh and India, have their respective interests which they intend to pursue. According to Hossain, the bilateral relationship “is not influenced by the presence of any single individual within a nation,” while “India has its interests, and Bangladesh has its interests.”

Hossain reiterated they will “always try to maintain good relations” with India. Previously, he updated diplomats in Dhaka, including the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma, about the current situation in Bangladesh and requested their support.