Bangladesh Nationalist Party believes that the “ice has started to melt” with India after the takeover of an interim government following student-led clashes that saw Sheikh Hasina’s fleeing the country.
To strengthen the relationship between the two countries, Pranay Verma, the Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka, met with BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakrul Islam Alamgir at the BNP office.
Speaking to ANI, Alamgir said, “There was a question about our relations since the last election in Bangladesh. But this time, the visit of the High Commissioner to our office definitely improved the situation. Ice has started melting,” said Mirza Fakrul.
The BNP had boycotted the Bangladesh parliamentary elections held in January 2024. “India and Bangladesh always have very good relations, and the relationship has improved. Certainly, this is also one of the turning points of the relationship between India and Bangladesh,” he said.
More than a month ago, a student-led movement ousted Bangladesh’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, after weeks of protests and clashes that killed over 600 people. Sheikh Hasina fled to India on August 5, and an interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus was formed.
A step forward for Indo-Bangladesh relations came when External Affairs Minister Jasishankar met the interim Bangladesh Government’s Foreign Affairs Advisor, Md. Touhid Hossain, on the sidelines of the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
“Definitely, it is very significant. After this change in Bangladesh power politics, the foreign advisor meeting Jaishankar must be very significant and very important also, and we believe that relationship will be strengthened after this meeting”, the BNP secretary general said.
“The cooperation of the people of India and Bangladesh should be stronger. People-to-people relationship is the key to strengthening the relationship between India and Bangladesh,” Mirza Fakrul added.
The BNP says it has alerted its units about the safety of the country’s minority Hindu community ahead of the Durga Puja festival, which will be celebrated from October 9 to 13. The celebrations will be held in 32,666 pavilions in Bangladesh.
“We are very much concerned about the wrong narrative that the Hindu communities are facing a serious problem in Bangladesh. I don’t think that any serious problem is going on. After every change, there are some problems that are political, not religious or communal. Some events happened. These are all political, not communal. But, we are very alert to safeguard the minority of our country. Specially ahead of Puja, we have already instructed our units throughout the country to be alert,” he said.
