[🇧🇩] Indo-Bangla Relation: India's Regional Ambition, Geopolitical Reality, and Strategic Options For Bangladesh

[Bilal9]

[h3]'More surprised than worried' at Delhi's war preparations: Foreign Adviser[/h3]
"I don't think there is any chance of us having a war with India."

Foreign Adviser. Touhid Hossain. Photo: Collected

The foreign advisor of the interim government. Tauhid Hussain said he was 'surprised' by Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh's statement on war preparations.

He told reporters at the regular press briefing on Sunday afternoon, 'I am more surprised than why he said such things.'

In his speech on the last day of the Joint Commanders' Conference in Lucknow, India on September 5, Rajnath said that the armed forces of peace-loving India must be ready for war to maintain peace.

Rajnath asked the country's top military leadership to analyze the current situation in Bangladesh and the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas conflicts to assess what kind of problems India might face in the future and be ready for anything 'unexpected'.

When asked about this, the foreign adviser said, 'I can't find any reason why he made such a comment.'

He said, 'I don't think there is any possibility of war with India. We have to understand whether he said this for the consumption of his own country or not. And the way he said it, it's a lot of beating around the bush.'

'Because I don't see any need for India to prepare because of Ukraine war. Or what India has to do with what is happening with Hamas! How Bangladesh compares with the Ukraine and Hamas issues is also beyond my understanding,' he added.

Regarding giving political asylum to Sheikh Hasina, he said, 'Political asylum can be given to anyone by any country. Whether it should be given or not, in this case it is a matter to be seen.

Noting that they are not willing to give shelter to even one Rohingya, he said, still we know that something is going in. We are trying to prevent it as much as possible. BGB is pushing back every day. Capacity also has some limitations. But we are trying to give back as much as we can.'

 

[Bilal9]

 

[Saif]

India plays politics of dominance with neighbours, says BNP

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Monday said that India’s relations with neighbouring countries were not going well and one of the main reasons for this was that India has always played...

www.newagebd.net

India plays politics of dominance with neighbours, says BNP
Staff Correspondent 10 September, 2024, 00:11

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Monday said that India’s relations with neighbouring countries were not going well and one of the main reasons for this was that India has always played the politics of dominance with its neighbours.

‘This tendency of dominance will neither be good for them not for the neighbours. Relationships need to be built on the basis of respect, dignity and mutual interests,’ said the party’s secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir while talking to reporters after visiting the grave of party founder Ziaur Rahman in the capital, marking the 46th founding anniversary of Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal.

‘India understands better the reasons for its politics and behaviour towards its neighbouring countries,’ he said, adding that his party believed that India’s relationships with Bangladesh should be built on mutual respect, dignity, and shared interests.

According to Indian media reports, defence minister Rajnath Singh emphasised the need for India’s armed forces to be ready for war to maintain peace.

Fakhrul said that Bangladesh gained freedom from the hands of the fascist Awami regime after almost 16 years through a student-led mass uprising.

He mentioned that many students, as well as women and children, sacrificed their lives in this revolution.

Mirza Fakhrul emphasised that no one could deny the contribution of women in this movement to restore democracy.

‘On this day, we’ve taken an oath to continue our struggle to consolidate the freedom that has been achieved, restore democracy, and establish the rule of law and the rule of the people in the country,’ he said.

He also expressed hope that the interim government would hand over power to the people through an election after completing the necessary state reforms as soon as possible.

In response to a question, the party’s secretary general said that he met with the interim government’s chief adviser twice and requested him to present the reform proposals to the public and set a timeline so that the national election could be held in a specific and reasonable timeframe.

Party standing committee members Selima Rahman and AZM Zahid Hossain, Mohila Dal president Afroza Abbas, general secretary Sultana Ahmed, and joint general secretary Helen Zerin Khan, among others, were present at the programme.​

 

[Saif]

BJP accused Congress of making India another Bangladesh.

ভারতকে বাংলাদেশে পরিণত করার ষড়যন্ত্র চলছে, কেন্দ্রীয় মন্ত্রীর হুঁশিয়ারি

 

[Vsdoc]

Regardless of political affiliations, Congress or BJP, India is essentially a 1.4 billion strong Hindu country.

Hence there will naturally be heightened tensions in India if Hindus are being killed in Bangladesh, which is essentially a Muslim country.

Its not very complicated.

These heightened tensions are currently on slow boil. But it will not take much to spark a population wide uproar if the killings do not stop.

In which case, regardless of the government at the center, centrist or right wing Hindu, the deep state will swing into action.

Hope things do not come to that and Bangladesh moves back from where it is now on the brink of frank radical Islamism riding piggy back on the "revolution".

 

[Saif]

Regardless of political affiliations, Congress or BJP, India is essentially a 1.4 billion strong Hindu country.

Hence there will naturally be heightened tensions in India if Hindus are being killed in Bangladesh, which is essentially a Muslim country.

Its not very complicated.

These heightened tensions are currently on slow boil. But it will not take much to spark a population wide uproar if the killings do not stop.

In which case, regardless of the government at the center, centrist or right wing Hindu, the deep state will swing into action.

Hope things do not come to that and Bangladesh moves back from where it is now on the brink of frank radical Islamism riding piggy back on the "revolution".

I thought India was a secular country. When did it turn itself into a Hindu country? Did you change your constitution? There is no killings of Hindus going on in Bangladesh. Please stop propagating lies about Bangladesh on the internet. And also stop threatening us. We are not scared of your deep state. Population wise, we are the 8th largest country in the world having powerful friends all over the world. We are not a land locked country like Nepal or Bhutan. Be respectful to Bangladesh and its people.

 

[Saif]

I'm confident that things will stabilise in Bangladesh: Rahul Gandhi

Emphasises on strong ties with current, future govts of Bangladesh

www.thedailystar.net

I'm confident that things will stabilise in Bangladesh: Rahul Gandhi
He tells at a press conference after a meeting with US lawmakers

During his visit to the United States, India's top opposition leader, Rahul Gandhi, held discussions with a group of American lawmakers at the US Capitol yesterday, where the ongoing situation in Bangladesh was discussed.

Rahul Gandhi expressed confidence that stability will return to Bangladesh.

Speaking at a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, Rahul said, "I'm confident that things will stabilise in Bangladesh, and we will maintain strong ties with the current government or any future government."

Rahul also stressed the need to stop violence in Bangladesh, saying "We raised it (Bangladesh), and they also spoke to us. Look, we are against any type of violence. And we want it to stop. And it's the responsibility, frankly, of the Bangladeshi government to stop it as soon as possible," Rahul told a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, according to a PTI report.

"From our side, it's the responsibility of our government to put pressure so that violence stops," he continued.

Responding to a question about the situation in Bangladesh, Rahul said that there are concerns in India about "extremist elements" in the neighboring country. "We share some of those concerns," he said.

Rahul also indicated that the Congress party, which he leads, is largely in alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP government on key foreign policy issues, including concerns over extremism in Bangladesh, maintaining strong ties with the United States, and the stance on Pakistan -- emphasising no dialogue until terrorism ceases. The party also supports India's relationship with Israel.

However, Rahul expressed disagreement with Modi's approach toward China, alleging that Chinese troops had taken control of Indian territory in Ladakh, an area he compared to the size of Delhi.​

 

[Saif]

Foreign adviser urges India to change its narrative about Bangladesh

Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain on Wednesday said India should change its narrative about Bangladesh. “They are trying to establish a narrative that, except for only one party, all other parties in Bangladesh are extremist. I think they should give up this effort,” the foreign advisor s

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Foreign adviser urges India to change its narrative about Bangladesh
FE Online Report
Published :
Sep 11, 2024 20:18
Updated :
Sep 11, 2024 20:1

Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain -- File Photo

Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain on Wednesday said India should change its narrative about Bangladesh.

“They are trying to establish a narrative that, except for only one party, all other parties in Bangladesh are extremist. I think they should give up this effort,” the foreign advisor said when asked to comment on Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi’s remarks.

Responding to a question at a press conference in Washington about the situation in Bangladesh, Rahul Gandhi said that there are concerns in India about "extremist elements" in the neighbouring country. "We share some of those concerns," he said.

The government does not have any information that extremism is rising in the country, the Bangladesh foreign adviser said while talking to newspersons at the Foreign Ministry.

“And those who are in the government do not have such an agenda or such a background,” the adviser noted.

Responding to another question, he said that the Russian Ambassador who met him had raised the issue of the due payment against the loan for the Rooppur nuclear plant.

“I have assured him that the amount is kept in the escrow account and they need not worry about it,” Mr Touhid said.​

 

[Saif]

India 'concerned' about 'extremism' in Bangladesh: Rahul Gandhi

India’s opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has said his country is "concerned" about the "extremism" present in Bangladesh, but anticipates the situation will "stabilise". He also expressed his interest in collaborating with the current interim government or any future administration, according

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

India 'concerned' about 'extremism' in Bangladesh: Rahul Gandhi
bdnews24.com
Published :
Sep 11, 2024 20:46
Updated :
Sep 11, 2024 20:46

India’s opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has said his country is "concerned" about the "extremism" present in Bangladesh, but anticipates the situation will "stabilise".

He also expressed his interest in collaborating with the current interim government or any future administration, according to the NDTV.

The Congress party chief, who is currently on a four-day visit to the United States. spoke with journalists at the National Press Club in Washington.

Earlier, Rahul met with a group of US lawmakers at Capitol Hill, the US parliament.

Regarding the meeting, he said: "We raised the issue of Bangladesh with the legislators, and they also discussed it."

"Look, we oppose all forms of violence and want to see it end. Frankly, it is the responsibility of the Bangladesh government to stop the violence as quickly as possible. It is also the responsibility of our government to apply pressure to ensure the violence is halted," Rahul added.

Sheikh Hasina stepped down as prime minister and fled to India on Aug 5 amid widespread protests. She has been there since.

Following the collapse of her government, scores of Hindus were attacked and their homes and temples vandalised and torched. An all-party meeting in Delhi expressed concern over these events.

Subsequently, in a phone call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus assured him that the safety of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh would be ensured.

At a joint conference of the top commanders of India's three military forces in Lucknow last Thursday, India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called for a review of the current situation in Bangladesh.

There were also various discussions on how Delhi's relations with Bangladesh's interim government will unfold.

Rajnath said India is a "peace-loving country" but emphasised the need to be prepared for war in the face of "unforeseen" events in order to maintain peace.

Touhid Hossain, the foreign advisor to the interim government, expressed surprise at Rajnath's remarks.

He said, "I don't believe there's any likelihood of a war with India. We also need to understand if these comments were intended for domestic consumption in their country.”​

 

[Saif]

বাংলাদেশে উগ্রবাদের উত্থান হচ্ছে রাহুলের এমন মন্তব্যের জবাব দিলেন পররাষ্ট্র উপদেষ্টা