Amidst the strain in relations with India, the interim government of Bangladesh has hinted at reconciliation. Bangladesh’s Finance Advisor Salehuddin Ahmed said on Tuesday that the interim government led by Mohammad Yunus has no intention of spoiling relations with India. He clarified that the priority of the government is to strengthen bilateral relations and maintain economic stability. Head of the interim government, Mohammad Yunus himself is working towards normalizing relations with New Delhi.
Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat in Dhaka, Salehuddin Ahmed said, ‘The present interim government does not want any kind of bitter relations with a big neighboring country like India. Our objective is to further improve bilateral relations and keep the economy stable. He said that some statements being made by some leaders in Bangladesh against India have nothing to do with the interim government and are completely political. Salehuddin Ahmed also said that the current political situation in Bangladesh will not have any impact on trade and economic cooperation with India.
Bangladesh will take 50,000 metric tons of rice from India
He said that Bangladesh has decided to import 50,000 metric tons of rice from India, which will further strengthen the economic relations between the two countries. He said that there will be no obstruction in the import of essential commodities. According to local media reports, Bangladesh is also planning to buy additional 50,000 metric tons of rice from Pakistan. Ahmed said that the interim government will not allow relations with India to deteriorate due to instigation by any third party and will adopt a balanced approach while giving priority to national interests.
Also read: Hindus left in Bangladesh reduced from 23% to only 8%… Still why ‘ideological mix’ on Deepu murder case?
Tension in Bangladesh due to the murder of fundamentalist leader Hadi
This statement of Salehuddin Ahmed, Finance Advisor of the Interim Government of Bangladesh, has come at a time when India-Bangladesh diplomatic relations have declined. India temporarily suspended visa services in the country after extremists targeted Hindu minorities and Indian diplomatic missions in various cities of Bangladesh in protests that began after the killing of anti-India fundamentalist leader Usman Hadi. On the other hand, demonstrations were also held outside the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi against the lynching of Hindu factory worker Dipu Chandra Das in Bhaluka near Dhaka by a mob on charges of blasphemy.
Bangladesh High Commission on Monday suspended consular and visa services in New Delhi till further orders. Last week, India’s Parliamentary Standing Committee (Foreign Affairs) issued a warning regarding the ongoing crisis in Bangladesh, calling it the biggest strategic challenge for New Delhi in the neighboring country since the 1971 liberation war. Amidst this decline in the historical relations between the two countries, this statement of the Finance Advisor of the Interim Government of Bangladesh is being seen as a positive sign.
—- End —-
