BNP Secretary Common Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has mentioned it’s essential to begin a brand new chapter in Indo-Bengali relations, which ought to start with the extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as her continued presence in India may additional harm bilateral ties.
The veteran chief, second answerable for the Bangladesh Nationalist Occasion (BNP), pressured his celebration’s need for robust relations with India, saying they’re able to “overcome earlier variations and collaborate.”
He additionally assured that the BNP would by no means permit any exercise on Bangladeshi soil that might threaten India’s safety.
In an interview with PTI at his residence in Dhaka, Alamgir mentioned that if the BNP involves energy, it is going to overview and re-evaluate the “questionable” Adani electrical energy deal signed throughout the Awami League regime as it’s placing “super strain” on the folks of Bangladesh.
Alamgir mentioned it was a diplomatic failure on the a part of New Delhi in not understanding the psyche of the Bangladeshi folks and that even after the autumn of the Hasina authorities following a preferred rebellion, “the Indian institution has not but reached out to the BNP, although China, the US, the UK and Pakistan have already executed so.”
Alamgir mentioned the safety of minorities in Bangladesh was an “inside matter” and maintained that experiences of assaults on Hindus have been “not correct” as most incidents have been politically motivated relatively than communally motivated.
“Sheikh Hasina has to face the legislation of Bangladesh for all of the crimes and corruption dedicated by her and her regime. To make this attainable and to respect the emotions of the folks of Bangladesh, India should guarantee her return to Bangladesh,” he mentioned.
Following unprecedented anti-government protests that reached a climax on August 5, Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled to India. Hasina’s presence in India for greater than three weeks has sparked hypothesis in Bangladesh.
“We wish to begin a brand new chapter in India-Bangladesh relations and making certain Hasina’s return to Bangladesh will likely be a brand new chapter in bilateral ties,” he mentioned.
“Each Sheikh Hasina and Awami League are doomed right here and supporting them will solely worsen the notion of India in Bangladesh,” he advised PTI.
Alamgir mentioned that if India doesn’t guarantee Hasina’s return to Bangladesh, bilateral ties between the 2 nations will worsen.
“There’s already outrage towards India, which is seen as a supporter of Sheikh Hasina’s authoritarian regime. Should you ask anybody in Bangladesh, they may let you know that India didn’t do the proper factor by giving Sheikh Hasina refuge.
“Now, if India doesn’t guarantee Hasina’s extradition to Bangladesh, the connection between the 2 nations will deteriorate additional,” he mentioned.
On Friday, International Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal was requested throughout a press convention whether or not the interim Bangladesh authorities had submitted a proper request for Hasina’s extradition, however he didn’t give a transparent reply.
“The previous prime minister of Bangladesh arrived in India at very brief discover on account of safety causes. We now have nothing additional so as to add on this. What you requested is a hypothetical query,” Jaiswal had mentioned.
Requested concerning the ongoing “India Out” marketing campaign in Bangladesh, Alamgir mentioned there may be “palpable” anger towards India because it by no means bothered to ascertain a relationship with the folks of the nation and was content material with its relationship solely with the Awami League.
“India’s diplomacy in direction of Bangladesh was not pragmatic. It didn’t have interaction with the folks of Bangladesh and different stakeholders, however put all its eggs in a single basket. India wants to grasp the heart beat of the folks of Bangladesh,” he mentioned.
Alamgir mentioned that if it involves energy, the BNP will attempt to strengthen relations with India and resolve previous misunderstandings and variations.
“If we win energy, we’ll have interaction extra with India as we wish a powerful relationship with India. We are going to attempt to resolve previous misunderstandings and variations.
“We now have to speak as a result of it is going to be pragmatic diplomacy that may allow us to resolve the issues. Even after such a serious political upheaval in Bangladesh, India has not initiated any dialogue with us,” he mentioned.
The 76-year-old chief mentioned excessive commissioners and ambassadors from Pakistan, China, the USA and the UK “reached out to us and spoke to us, however there was no communication from India.”
Alamgir mentioned questionable bilateral treaties that went towards Bangladesh’s pursuits throughout the Awami League regime will likely be re-examined and, if needed, revised.
“We now have no points with bilateral treaties and agreements with India signed throughout the Awami League regime, which profit Bangladesh. However there are some questionable bilateral treaties and agreements which don’t profit Bangladesh and which should be reviewed and revised,” he mentioned.
Itemizing bilateral initiatives that should be re-examined, Alamgir mentioned the Adani energy deal tops the listing as “there are a whole lot of questions on it” and it’s placing “a whole lot of strain on the folks of Bangladesh”.
Talking on the problem of assaults on Hindu minorities following the autumn of the Awami League authorities earlier this month, Alamgir known as the experiences “factually incorrect and deceptive”.
“Studies that there are assaults on Hindu minorities are incorrect. There could also be some circumstances, however they’re extra political and never communal in nature,” he mentioned.
“The assaults may have been politically motivated because the victims have been Awami League activists irrespective of faith, caste or creed. We now have taken precautions and have requested our leaders to guard Hindu households,” he mentioned.
Alamgir mentioned the “difficulty of safety of minorities” is an inside matter of the nation.
“The minority difficulty is an inside matter of Bangladesh. When India raises the problem, Bangladesh ought to take it up at a world discussion board. We by no means complain about what occurs to Indian minorities, so nobody ought to touch upon the minority difficulty right here,” he mentioned.
Requested about considerations that anti-India parts may acquire floor on Bangladeshi soil within the absence of the Awami League authorities, the previous BNP cupboard minister mentioned, “The BNP authorities would by no means permit anti-India forces to realize floor within the nation.”
“Terrorism and different such actions in Bangladesh are minimal and the state of affairs is underneath management. We are able to guarantee India that the BNP won’t ever permit anti-India forces or safety threats to realize floor within the nation,” he mentioned.
Alamgir had hoped that new elections can be held within the nation inside a 12 months.
“We hope that the reforms undertaken by the interim authorities within the electoral fee, judiciary, paperwork and police will likely be accomplished inside a 12 months, after which new elections might be held,” he mentioned.
Requested whether or not the BNP led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia would search an alliance with Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami as within the early 2000s, Alamgir mentioned the celebration is presently not allied with Jamaat.
“The alliance we had with Jamaat ceased to exist way back. However we have now often carried out joint programmes towards the Awami League regime throughout the latest common rebellion. However at this second we don’t have any alliance with Jamaat,” he mentioned.
