Ties with big neighbours: Balance will still be the mainstay
Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain has spoken at length with The Daily Star on a host of issues facing Bangladesh at this critical juncture of the country's transition to democracy. In an interview with our diplomatic correspondent Porimol Palma, the career diplomat shared his views on Dhaka-Delhi ties, Sheikh Hasina's stay in India, revival of Saarc and human rights, among other things.
TDS: What challenges is the government facing in maintaining and promoting relations with foreign countries?
Touhid: For a small country like Bangladesh with big neighbours, it is important to maintain a balanced relationship. We've been doing so and the interim government will also try to do the same.
There will always be challenges. Our relationship with each country is unique. For example, three sides of Bangladesh are bordered by India. Many of our rivers flow through India. We have a lot of trade, and our ties are historical as well as cultural. On the other hand, China, our biggest trade partner, funds many projects here. We have interests in our relationships with both India and China. China and India have issues of conflict, but we have to maintain ties with both of them.
The US, which is the number one superpower, is our single biggest export market, and a major source of our remittance. Our relations with Europe is also very important. As a bloc, the European Union is our biggest export destination. So our ties with different country are different.
TDS: We've seen some hiccups in our relations with India, and anti-India sentiment here after the fall of the Awami League government. What would be our strategy to stabilise this relationship?
Touhid: Our strategy will be to protect our interests. It does not mean we will ignore India's interest. For India, Bangladesh is a very important country when it comes to security. India's Northeast region suffered from insurgency, which was removed with our cooperation.
You need to remember that we are going through a phase of revolution and there may be some conflicts of interest. However, the relationship was very profitable for India during the previous regime. This led India, especially its media, to take a negative approach towards the current situation in Bangladesh. Most of their accusations were baseless. I believe these aspects will eventually be removed.
TDS: Will you take the initiative to bring back Sheikh Hasina from India?
Touhid: If our court issues orders to bring her back, we will take the necessary initiative. It is up to India how it will cooperate. I don't want to speculate anything. We'll see when the time comes.
India has its interests in the relationship with Bangladesh, just like we do. So the relationship has to be based on mutual interest and respect. We're only talking about the relationship between the two governments when it has to be people-centric so that the people benefit from the relationship. It is not an ideal situation for governments to say that the relationship is good while people here have anti-India sentiments.
TDS: What are your expectations from India?
Touhid: There are many expectations, but some small issues make the relationship bitter. For example, border killing. Just the other day, a 14-year-old girl was killed at the border. This is in no way justifiable. If India sincerely wants it, border killing can be fully stopped.
Then, there is the water-sharing issue. People have bitter feelings about the Teesta deal. It's not our concern what problem India's Centre and West Bengal government have. India has to solve it. The water is a liability for us in the rainy season, which is natural, and we aren't asking India to stop it. However, when this water is an asset in the dry season, we're not getting it. This is not acceptable. We know the water level is low in the dry season. But whatever water is there should be shared. Even if we can have an interim agreement with India on Teesta, it'll have a positive impact on the minds of the people of Bangladesh.
TDS: What will the interim government do about the agreements and Memoranda of Understanding with India that have been criticised?
Touhid: The interim government will do whatever is needed for the sake of national interest, regardless of its tenure. We'll take care of all the issues.
MoUs and agreements are different. Conditions of agreements are to be implemented. If that is to change, it needs to be done as per the provisions of the agreements. For MoUs, we have to know peoples' expectations and seek expert views. We have to revisit the MoUs based on all these factors. If we have to sign any agreement, we will do it, protecting the interest of both parties.
TDS: Will revisiting MoUs or signing agreements take place anytime soon?
Touhid: It's not that we'll start working tomorrow on this. It will come as part of the normal process. India too has to have its time. They won't sit with us tomorrow if we ask them for a meeting today. We'll try to take initiative on each issue based on priority in a mutually agreed time. It won't happen in a week or two, but we may take initiative in the next few months, or at least by this year.
TDS: Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has said he wants to revitalise the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc). Is it possible, given the Pakistan-India enmity?
Touhid: I don't think it is impossible. I want to be optimistic. When Saarc was working, it was not that it brought about a huge change. But, some work was really going on, for example on meteorology, agriculture, free trade, etc. Then Saarc was going ahead even when India and Pakistan were engaged in small fights sometimes. The process was suspended by India's initiative. India-Pakistan conflict won't end overnight. But other South Asian countries should not be victims of this Indo-Pak enmity. All the other countries are eager to cooperate through Saarc.
Chief Adviser Prof Yunus is very interested in resuming the Saarc activities on whatever small scale. We want to come out of the stalemate.
TDS: Bangladesh has a lot of baggage in terms of human rights abuses. Can the government come out of this?
Touhid: A major objective of this government is to work in the area of human rights. Rights activists are in the council of advisers. The UN fact-finding mission will look into all of the rights violations and killings that took place in the last weeks of the previous government. Even post-August 5 attacks over political ideologies or on minorities – all can come under this investigation. Everyone has the right to get justice. We want transparency in the whole process of the investigation.
TDS: Will the foreign ministry undergo reforms to function more effectively, keeping in mind that the economy is a big part of our diplomacy?
Touhid: The foreign ministry, like any other time, will play an auxiliary role. We will extend support to other ministries as per their need. In some cases, re-allocation of business may be required. From our side, we can raise the issues that arise in the areas of overseas employment, foreign investment or export.
TDS: Prof Yunus has a global standing. How can we best utilise it in diplomacy?
Touhid: We have started benefitting from this already. You know that 67 Bangladeshi migrants were pardoned by the UAE president after Prof Yunus directly spoke to him. We will use his standing for our just demands.
TDS: How shall we navigate in the geopolitically changing world, especially amid the global power competition in the Indo-Pacific?
Touhid: We'll try to have our interests protected despite such competitions. We'll follow the path where we have our best national interest.
TDS: Aren't our national integrity, track record of human rights and democracy important for this?
Touhid: We're working to establish democracy on a strong footing. It'll be truly representative. There won't be any fake elections. The purpose of the sacrifice of the young people and their aspiration is democracy. We will work to that end. Reforms on human rights will be visible soon. So we are on the right track.
Bangladesh Defense
