India has big role in political stability of Bangladesh: Bangla minister
Asserting that ties between the two countries go much beyond the pending Teesta water sharing pact, Bangladesh’s Information and Broadcasting Minister, Muhammad Hasan Mahmud, on Tuesday said India has a played a role in maintaining political stability in his country by ensuring regional stability.
Addressing the media at the Press Club of India here, Mahmud also said that Dhaka has accepted New Delhi’s invitation to the G20 summit, to be held here in September 2023.
Bangladesh is the only guest-country from the South Asian region to have been invited to the summit.
Asked about implications of attacks on minority Hindus in Bangladesh, and the consequent targeting of Muslims in India, Mahmud attributed such attacks on minorities in Bangladesh to “fanatic groups” and said the Hasina government has ensured safety and security of Hindus in the country.
Stating that the relationship between the neighbours has deepened under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina, Mahmud said, “Progress of Bangladesh would never have been possible without political…all-out support of India. We are grateful to India and its government for the support to Bangladesh. Political stability in the country [Bangladesh] is one of the most essential preconditions for prosperity, and that has been continuing in Bangladesh for the last 14 years.”
He said, “I strongly believe that regional stability is important to maintain political stability in Bangladesh, and to keep regional stability, and thereby political stability, in Bangladesh, India has played a role.”
Incidentally, the next general election in Bangladesh is expected to be held by the end of 2023. The Hasina-led Awami League has been governing the country since 2009, having won three successive elections.
Responding to a question on the fate of the Teesta water-sharing agreement, which is an emotive issue in Bangladesh, Mahmud said he hopes the impasse will be broken. “The relationship between India and Bangladesh is very diverse, it doesn’t depend only on the Teesta water-sharing. We are sharing many things. Bangladesh and India are engaged to resolve the issue and there is progress. (There are) some obligations and procedures under India’s Constitution; I hope that after following all procedures, that will be resolved in future,” he said.
On the issue of minorities in his country, Mahmud said: “No one is a minority (in Bangladesh). Our Prime Minister says, ‘don’t feel you are a minority, you are a son of the soil; this is your country’. Under Bangladesh’s Constitution, everybody has equal rights. Of course, there are fanatic groups both in India and Bangladesh who try to ignite fanaticism and destabilise harmony across religious groups. That happens everywhere.”
He claimed that over the last few years the Bangladesh government has adopted a “tough” stance against such elements. “This year, Durga Puja was celebrated in a festive manner. The number of puja pandals increased by 700 over last year.” He blamed “fake news and propaganda on social media” for last year’s attacks against Hindus.
