[🇧🇩] The Nexus Between Awami League and India

[Saif]

Source : https://www.PKDefense.com

I am opening this thread to expose India's nefarious plan to keep Bangladesh into its sphere of influence by aiding Awami League to suppress the opposition to perpetuate its reign in Bangladesh.

 

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BNP slams Momen for 'asking India to keep PM Hasina's govt in power'

Senior leaders of the opposition party also urged people to form a movement for halting the government from power

www.tbsnews.net

BNP slams Momen for 'asking India to keep PM Hasina's govt in power'
Senior leaders of the opposition party also urged people to form a movement for halting the government from power

Questioning whether the Awami League government has been in power at the "mercy" of India, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday demanded an explanation on the foreign minister's recent statement on seeking India's backing to keep PM Sheikh Hasina in power.

"Ministers from a rally of the Awami League in Dhaka issued various threats and used terrorist language. When you are issuing so many threats, why does your foreign minister seek India's help to sustain your government and your prime minister?" he said.

Speaking at a discussion marking its 42nd founding anniversary of Jatiyatabadi Swechchasebak Dal, the BNP leader said their party wants an explanation of the foreign minister's statement, reports the UNB.


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"We want to know from the government, the foreign minister and also from the Indian government what is the meaning of what the foreign minister said? Does it mean that this government is sustaining with India's backing? People want to know the meaning of this. It's urgent."

He also said questions have been raised about whether Bangladesh will really be an independent state or not, whether Bangladesh will really be a democratic country or not and whether the people of Bangladesh will get back their rights or not.

Since it came to power, Fakhrul said, the Awami League has snatched the rights of the people of Bangladesh in a very well-planned way while the constitution has been amended annulling the provisions of the caretaker government and depriving people of their scope to vote and elect their representatives every five years.

Other senior BNP leaders also slammed the foreign minister for his statement.

The party's Senior Joint Secretary-General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said the foreign minister's statement proves that people are not in favour of the government.

"The government has lost everything because they abandoned the people. So, they are approaching others to remain in power," said Rizvi while talking to reporters after placing wreaths on Ziaur Rahman's grave on the founding anniversary of the Jatiyatabadi Shecchwasebak Dal on Friday morning.

"The government cannot face the people as they buried the voting system, democracy and freedom of expression in the country. Now they want to remain in power with the help of others, endangering our freedom," he added, saying that the foreign minister sometimes naively speaks the truth.

In another programme at the National Press Club, BNP Standing Committee Member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy said it is highly unlikely that India will be able to sustain the current government in power.

Criticising Momen, the BNP leader said keeping the Awami League in power is far-fetched. "Even if the party is auctioned, no one will want to buy it.

"If we do not partake in elections, who will keep this government? India? Quite impossible," he added.

Meanwhile, Dhaka South Convenor of BNP Abdus Salam expressed his doubt if Momen is a minister of Bangladesh or India.

Addressing a human chain in front of the National Press Club, the BNP leader said no one is safe under this government.

Salam urged everyone to form a movement for halting the government from power. "It's not the right time to stay at home. If the Awami League government remains in power, we will lose our sovereignty," he added.

Foreign Minister Momen, while addressing a Janmashtami programme in JM Sen Hall in Chattogram on Thursday evening, said he had requested the Indian government to do whatever was necessary to help Bangladesh maintain stability and harmony.

"When I went to New Delhi, I told the Indian government that Sheikh Hasina must be sustained. Bangladesh will continue to march towards development and will truly become a country free of communalism under her leadership," Momen said.​

 

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Why India Welcomes Sheikh Hasina's Return to Power in Bangladesh

India considers Hasina a close ally in a neighborhood where it confronts rivals Pakistan and China

www.voanews.com

Why India Welcomes Sheikh Hasina's Return to Power in Bangladesh​

January 10, 2024 9:01 AM
By Anjana Pasricha​

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Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh and Chairperson of Bangladesh Awami League, shows a victory sign while speaking to the press in Dhaka, Bangladesh, January 7, 2024. Prime Minister's office/Handout via REUTERS

NEW DELHI —

For India, the return of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League party to the helm in Bangladesh for a fourth consecutive term is a welcome development, according to analysts.
While the United States and Britain have said the recent elections that extended Hasina’s rule in the South Asian country were not credible, free or fair, New Delhi considers her a close ally in a neighborhood where its military confronts both Pakistan and China along hostile, disputed borders.
That is why a friendly government in Bangladesh, with which India shares a long land border, is crucial to India’s security, according to Harsh Pant, vice president for studies and foreign policy at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi.

In this photograph released by Bangladesh Prime Minister's office, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, left, arrives to address a press conference following her election victory in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Jan. 8, 2024.

“India faced a lot of turbulence in Dhaka-Delhi ties before Hasina came to power, but since taking office in 2009, she has been a steadfast ally,” said Pant. “Given the challenging neighborhood that India lives in where it faces a lot of headwinds like China’s increasing presence, it is natural for India to want her to continue in power.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first to congratulate Sheikh Hasina after she secured a fourth consecutive term.
“We are committed to further strengthen our enduring and people-centric partnership with Bangladesh,” he wrote on social media platform X, formerly Twitter. For her part, Hasina called India “a great friend” at a news conference held after her victory.

​

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina checks her watch as she waits outside a polling station for the official opening time to cast her vote in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Jan. 7, 2024.

For India, the topmost priority is its strategic interests, said analysts, who point out that Hasina has adroitly balanced ties with both India and China. Beijing has significantly expanded its footprint in small South Asian countries with its Belt and Road infrastructure initiative.

Dhaka joined Beijing’s BRI in 2016. China is building infrastructure that includes bridges, power plants and rail projects in Bangladesh. China is also Bangladesh’s key supplier of military hardware.

“Some projects that are dual use in nature have raised questions in New Delhi. Beijing is building a submarine base in Bangladesh and has supplied two submarines to Dhaka,” according to Srikanth Kondapalli, dean at the School of International Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University. "Any military cooperation between them will be a matter of concern.”

However, he pointed out that Bangladesh “describes its partnership with China as a developmental partnership and has been generally mindful of Indian sensitivities.”

The Bay of Bengal where the submarine base is taking shape is a key waterway in the Indian Ocean, where India, along with the United States and other countries, are working together to deter China.

Dhaka has allayed New Delhi’s concerns, saying its ties with China are friendly but primarily focused on economic linkages.

“We are very prudent in receiving any aid or funds. So people should not be afraid that Bangladesh would succumb to the Chinese," Bangladesh’s foreign minister, Abdul Momen, said in an interview to India Today television after the polls.

Analysts said that Hasina’s continuation in Bangladesh is a relief for New Delhi, which recently saw a pro-China government take office in the Maldives, straining ties with the archipelago nation.

“There has been no overt pro-China, anti-India discourse in Bangladesh as we saw in Sri Lanka in the past or in Maldives at present,” according to Sankalp Gurjar, assistant professor in geopolitics and international relations at the Manipal Academy of Higher Education.

Bangladesh is also crucial to the security of India’s remote northeastern states where insurgent groups used to be active. They often took sanctuary in Bangladesh, which shares borders with some of these states.

“Since Hasina has come to power, India’s northeastern problems have eased because she has not allowed Bangladesh to be used by such groups,” according to Gurjar.

Questions have been raised over the credibility of Hasina’s victory following the elections the opposition boycotted. Thousands of opposition activists were jailed in the run-up to the polls, raising concerns of democratic backsliding and authoritarianism.

FILE - Activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party participate in a rally demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Oct. 28, 2023.

In a statement, the U.S. State Department said, “The United States shares the view with other observers that these elections were not free or fair and we regret that not all parties participated.”

Despite the divergent stands taken by New Delhi and Washington, India is urging Western countries to work with Bangladesh.

“India will have to maintain a delicate balance, but New Delhi is playing the role of a facilitator between Hasina and Western countries,” according to Pant. “It is telling the U.S. that marginalizing or ignoring Bangladesh would only make China a much more central player in the country, which would not serve either India’s or Western interests.”​

 

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Jan 7 Polls: If not for India, others would have interfered

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday said no powerful country could interfere in the January 7 national election as India stood beside Bangladesh.

www.thedailystar.net

Jan 7 Polls: If not for India, others would have interfered​

Says Quader

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday said no powerful country could interfere in the January 7 national election as India stood beside Bangladesh.

India did not interfere in Bangladesh's polls but many powerful countries tried to influence the election, he said while addressing the biennial conference of Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad at Dhakeshwari National Temple in the after afternoon.

"We conducted our elections. India didn't interfere. They [India] said let Bangladesh decide on Bangladesh's election. Many powers in the world wanted to play an evil game here. India stood strongly by our side," said Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister.

He said the Bangladesh-India relations have reached a new height under the leaderships of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.

Different problems, including border issues, were solved through discussions with India, the minister said. "Positive progress has been achieved over the Teesta water-sharing agreement, but we have to keep patience."
He said it is not possible to solve those problems by creating any bitterness.

Everyone, including Hindus, Buddhists and Christians, had contributed to Bangladesh's independence struggle.

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Kumar Verma inaugurated the conference.

Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumdar, Health Minister Samanta Lal Sen, and State Minister for Chattogram Hill Tracts Affairs Kujendra Lal Tripura, among others, addressed the event, with Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad President JL Bhowmik in the chair.​

 

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Ex foreign minister Abdul Momen asked allout help from India to keep Hasina in power.

 

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https://www.kalerkantho.com/english/online/national/2023/02/15/49552

India has total support to Sheikh Hasina’s leadership: Kwatra
Published
Wednesday, 15 February, 2023 21:28

India has total support to Sheikh Hasina’s leadership: Kwatra

Visiting Indian External Affairs Secretary Vinay Kwatra today said New Delhi has total support to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s leadership as he called on her at the premier’s official Ganobhaban residence.

“We’ve total support to you and your leadership,” a PMO spokesman quoted him as telling the premier during his courtesy call on while Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh considered India as a trusted friend and expressed hope that this friendship would deepen further.

Prime Minister’s Speech writer Md Nazrul Islam at a media briefing said Kwatra told Sheikh Hasina that the neighbouring country would remain on Bangladesh side in its development endevours including political and economic progress.

He said the Indian foreign secretary invited Sheikh Hasina to the 18th edition of the Group of Twenty (G20) Summit which would take place in New Delhi on September 9-10 this year.

The premier, he said, accepted the invitation and extended thanks to her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, who as the current chair of the G-20 grouping of larger economies, invited Bangladesh as a “guest country” in its all meetings.

According to the spokesman the top bureaucrat of Indian foreign office described Dhaka-New Delhi ties to be “very firm” and said the entire world now valued the relationships as it reached to a strategic level.

“This relationship is being strengthened further,” he added.

Sheikh Hasina said both countries could work on the socio-economic development of the two neighbors.

Kwatra said New Delhi was trying to make the terms and conditions of Indian Line of Credit (LoC) easier so Bangladesh could avail the credit and repay it easily.

He said the own currencies of both the countries could be used to run bilateral trades and businesses.

Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary M Tofazzel Hossain Miah, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma were present.​

 

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Role of India regrettable: Rizvi

Role of India in Bangladesh's Political Situation: BNP Leader Rizvi Expresses Sadness

en.prothomalo.com

12th general election​

Role of India regrettable: Rizvi​

Staff Correspondent​

Dhaka

Updated: 01 Dec 2023, 23: 13

BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir RizviFile photo

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has criticised the role of neighbouring India that the country has apparently adopted over the forthcoming 12th parliamentary elections and ensuing political situation in Bangladesh.

Rizvi said India is a democratic country. A tradition of democracy is there. How that India could take a stand in favour of an “undemocratic and autocrat” directly! Though they said about staying with the people of Bangladesh, they have actually taken a stand against the 180 million people of Bangladesh, which is regrettable.

The senior BNP leader was addressing a virtual press briefing on Friday evening.

Alleging that “With the support of India, the Awami League has been looting the country for the last 15 years”, Rizvi said India itself is a democratic country, but in Bangladesh they have been supporting a government that was formed without any vote. That means the territorial independence and people of Bangladesh bear no importance to them. A certain political party is more important to them. Through this Awami League they have been controlling Bangladesh, he alleged.

Slamming the role of India, the BNP leader expressed that India considers them hostile who protest at border killings and unilateral trade and demand fair share of water.

Though the government of India considers the people of Bangladesh as its opposition, the Bangladeshis consider the people of India their friends, he remarked.

The BNP leader also talked about China and Russia’s support to the incumbent Awami League government.

He observed that traditionally they have authoritarian governments in power. As a result they could lend support to another authoritarian government. But the support of India’s democratic government is regrettable.

Highlighting that the election without the participation of BNP and other main opposition parties cannot be participatory, BNP’s senior joint secretary general said the government tried to split the BNP in different ways.

“But none but a few greedy people went to them. Those who have taken part in this staged election out of greed will accrue nothing but a bad name.”

He alleged that the law enforcement, judiciary, education department and all other bodies are under the control of the government. “They (the government) want to stay in power by any means.”

“We don’t want power. Rather, we seek a fair election. The election won’t be fair if Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina does not resign. But she doesn’t want to resign. Because she wants to stage the election on her own,” he stated.

Ruhul Kabir Rizvi further claimed that over 150,000 lawsuits have been lodged and over 20 million leaders and activists of BNP could not stay at their homes.​

 

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AL believes India will stand by it during polls

The five-member Awami League delegation, headed by AL presidium member and agriculture minister Abdur Razzaque, visited India from 6 August to 9 August at the invitation of the Bharatiya Janata Party. The purpose of the visit was to discuss political stability in Bangladesh and the upcoming...

en.prothomalo.com

AL delegation’s India-visit​

AL believes India will stand by it during polls​

Special Correspondent​

Dhaka

Updated: 11 Aug 2023, 15: 45

Awami League presidium member Abdur Razzaque speaks at a press briefing on the party delegation's recent India visit at the Awami League office in the capital's Dhanmondi on 10 August, 2023Prothom Alo

The ruling Awami League (AL) delegation has returned with a notion that the party will get India’s support in the upcoming general elections. During the three-day visit to India, the AL delegation held meetings with several top leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), including party president JP Nadda.

The five-member delegation, headed by AL presidium member and agriculture minister Abdur Razzaque, visited India from 6 August to 9 August at the invitation of the BJP. Awami League held a press conference about the trip at its Dhanmondi office in the capital Thursday. Agriculture minister Abdur Razzaque said at the press briefing that during the three-day visit, they learned that India wants political stability in Bangladesh.

According to the sources in the party, the leaders of the ruling party in India and senior officials of the Indian government have stressed on political stability in Bangladesh. In that context, the pressure from the US, including the new US visa policy and sanctions on Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), also came up in the discussions during the three-day visit. The Indian leaders have said that they are working on these issues in their own way. The impact will be visible gradually.

Speaking to Prothom Alo on condition of anonymity, a member of the AL delegation said a top leader of India said the impact of the country’s diplomatic efforts were already visible to some extent. In addition to that, the Indian leaders have also said that they believe that prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s leadership is stronger than any other politician in Bangladesh.

The source in the AL delegation further said, during meetings with leaders at different levels, including BJP president JP Nadda, Bangladesh’s growing relationship with China also came up. The Awami League leaders tried to convince them that Bangladesh’s relations with China are completely economic, just like the existing bilateral relationships between India and China. On the other hand, the relationship between Bangladesh and India is multifaceted.
The AL delegation further told them that it was possible to prevent the rise of Jamaat-e-Islami, different Islamic groups and communal forces as the Awami League is in power. The Pakistani influence in the subcontinent will grow again if the Awami League is not in power, which will be a threat to India’s security.

EC to hold the polls, India has no role

Asked about India’s role in Bangladesh’s general election, Abdur Razzaque said, “The Election Commission will conduct the elections and the government will cooperate with them. India has no part in this. They didn’t comment in this regard. Besides, the connectivity between the two countries is quite deep. They are well aware about what’s going on in Bangladesh.”

The agriculture minister further said, “China is always a big headache for India. This is the reason tension arises very often on the border between the two countries. We said our foreign policy is friendship towards all and malice towards none and we strictly adhere to this policy. However, our relations with India are written in blood. And, it is not comparable to any other relation.”
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Our relation with India is written in blood. And, it is not comparable to any other relation​

Abdur Razzaque, Agriculture minister

In response to a question regarding India’s attitude towards Jamaat-e-Islami in the next parliamentary election, Abdur Razzaque said, “It’s the responsibility of the state. We didn’t discuss this issue. The intelligence of both countries has regular contacts and they share information to prevent militancy and terrorism in the two countries.

AL joint general secretary and information minister Hasan Mahmud said, “The persons, whom we met during the India visit, firmly believe that the election will be held as per the constitution of Bangladesh. They understand the demands (made by the opposition) are useless. They think a free, fair and neutral election will be held in Bangladesh in accordance with the constitution. We also have discussed militant threats. They are aware that there is a cross-border connection between the militants.”
​

We went to India at BJP’s invitation. The US envoy has expressed his wish to visit the Awami League office. But BNP goes to different places by themselves​

Hasan Mahmud, Agriculture minister

Abdur Razzaque said, “The BNP is always dependent on foreign forces. But now they realise that there is no benefit in it. The people of Bangladesh will decide who will control the politics in future.”

Information minister Hasan Mahmud said, “BNP has a love for foreign interventions. Their lobbying has not stopped. However, they have realised that there is no benefit in this.”

“We went to India at BJP’s invitation. The US envoy has expressed his wish to visit the Awami League office. But BNP goes to different places on theor own accord,” he added.
​

What transpired during the India visit​

At the beginning of the press conference, Abdur Razzaque said, “India is our ally. They helped us with money and weapons during the liberation war. The relationship between the two countries have seen many ups and downs after the liberation war. And now, the relationship between the two countries are at a new height.”
​

BJP president JP Nadda, during the meeting with the AL delegation, said his party was interested to work with the Awami League to maintain stability and to fight terrorism in the region like the past​

He further said, “Bangladesh is progressing unbelievably under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina. In the past, Bangladeshi soil was used to supply 10 truckloads of weapons to the separatists in India. However, Bangladesh will not let anyone use even an inch of land of Bangladesh against neighbouring countries now. The BJP is satisfied with such initiatives from prime minister Sheikh Hasina.”

It was said in the press conference that the AL delegation reached Delhi on 6 August. They met BJP president JP Nadda at his residence the next day.

Nadda, during the meeting, said his party was interested to work with the Awami League to maintain stability and to fight terrorism in the region like the past.

The delegation met with BJP general secretary Vinod Tad at the party’s central office later that day. Later, in the afternoon, the delegation met Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar at his office in the parliament.

S Jaishankar told the delegation that, “The cordial relationship between the two countries has reached a greater height than ever before during the tenure of prime minister Narendra Modi and prime minister Sheikh Hasina.”

On 8 August, they held a meeting with Indian Rajya Sabha (upper house) leader and commerce minister Piyush Goyal. At the meeting, the Indian minister assured the delegation that they will actively consider making sure that Bangladesh is not harmed by the ban on food grain export by the Indian government. He also sought assistance from the delegation to ensure more imports from Bangladesh. He also requested for the list of exportable products of Bangladesh at the time.

The delegation also met chief coordinator for India's G20 presidency in 2023 and former Indian ambassador to Bangladesh, Harsh Vardhan Shringla. He mentioned the invitation for Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina to take part in the upcoming G20 Summit to be held in India from 9 September to 10 September.

Apart from that, the AL delegation met with the BJP’s women and youth wing and a delegation of Indian media.

Members of the AL delegation Aroma Dutt, MP; Merina Jahan, MP and AL’s organising secretary Sujit Roy Nandi were also present during the press conference.​

 

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https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/foreign-affairs/138776/quader-to-india-our-alternative-forces-are-the

UNB
Publish : 21 Feb 2018, 09:00 PMUpdate : 22 Feb 2018, 12:24 PM

Quader to India: Our alternative forces are the friends of Pakistan​

Caption Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader at the closing session of Bangladesh-India Media Dialogue at a Dhaka hotel on Wednesday - Focus Bangla

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Wednesday sought continuous support from India to strengthen the Dhaka-Delhi ties, saying New Delhi should not forget that the ruling Awami League in Bangladesh is the only force against the friends of its arch-rival, Pakistan. "I want to tell you that our alternative force in Bangladesh are the friends of Pakistan," he said, while describing how Bangladesh destroyed all terror hideouts on its land, contributing to peace and stability in India’s volatile northeast region. Quader, also general secretary of the Awami League, said the present Bangladesh government under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been able to destroy ‘the old wall of mistrust and suspicion’ with India. He made the remarks as the chief guest at the closing session of Bangladesh-India Media Dialogue.

State Minister for Information Tarana Halim, Deputy High Commissioner of India in Dhaka Dr Adarsh Swaika also joined the event as its special guests. Quader also said they might make mistakes but they never deviate from their roots. “We had to form strategic alliances but we never deviated from our roots. We want to further strengthen and cement our ties with India, and the media can play a vital role to this end.” Seeking assistance from New Delhi in resolving the ongoing Rohingya crisis, he said: “Please help us. It’s an unbearable burden. You’re our friends since 1971. We’re now facing a crisis. We want you to stand by us.” As India has amicable ties with Myanmar, the minister urged New Delhi to mount pressure on Naypyidaw so the latter takes back over a million Rohingya people living in Bangladesh. “We’re unable to bear the burden. We’ve given them shelter on humanitarian grounds.” He said Bangladesh is severely affected in many ways as it hosted the homeless Rohingya refugees from Myanmar’s strife-torn Rakhine state. “Tourists are not willing to visit Cox’s Bazar [where the refugees have taken shelter], and local communities are also suffering.” About the Teesta water sharing deal, the Awami League second-in-command said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured Bangladesh of resolving the Teesta issue within the tenure of the incumbent governments in Bangladesh and India. “We’re still eagerly waiting to sign the deal. We haven’t lost our hope. We’ve seven to eight months before the 11th parliamentary election. We have accountability to people.” He also urged New Delhi to take steps to convince West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to cooperate with the Indian central government on the issue. Recalling New Delhi’s support during Bangladesh’s Liberation War in 1971, Quader said it would have been really difficult to achieve independence without the support of India. Bangladesh’s connectivity with India has been strengthened on all fronts, including road, rail and water ways. Tarana Halim said India is Bangladesh’s tested and trusted ally and there has been a significant progress in bilateral relations over the past nine years. Former Bangladesh diplomat Muhammad Zamir, Major General (retd) Abdur Rashid, University Grants Commission Chairman Prof Abdul Mannan and Bhorer Kagoj Editor Shyamal Dutta also addressed the session. ‘Delhi shouldn't misunderstand Dhaka’ While addressing the dialogue’s inaugural session earlier in the day, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s media adviser Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury said Bangladesh's position with China should not be misunderstood by India. "There should not be any concerns on the Indian side," he said, laying emphasis on addressing concerns relating to border killings.​

 

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“India will back Sheikh Hasina from the top”

Bangladesh-India relations expert Avinash Paliwal talks about India’s “leverage” over Awami League politicians; how India’s national interests trump democracy in Bangladesh; and, Tarique Rahman’s “black swan” event.

netra.news

“India will back Sheikh Hasina from the top”​

Bangladesh-India relations expert Avinash Paliwal talks about India’s “leverage” over Awami League politicians; how India’s national interests trump democracy in Bangladesh; and, Tarique Rahman’s “black swan” event.

David Bergman
January 7th 2024

On “election” day in Bangladesh it is worth noting that today would not be happening without the Indian government’s substantial support for the Awami League.

“India is the most important external actor in Bangladesh politics, and it is likely to continue,” said Avinash Paliwal , a reader in International Relations at the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), who specialises in India-Bangladesh relations. “India will back Sheikh Hasina from the top.”

Paliwal, who is probably one of the most informed academics or commentators currently writing on Bangladesh-India relations and is publishing a book, India’s Near East, later in this year, was speaking to me six weeks ago in mid-November 2023.

India’s support for, and influence on, the Awami League

Paliwal explained that India has extraordinary influence within Bangladesh politics, “There is a clear consensus in the Indian political ecosystem to support the Awami League. India has diplomatic and political capital within the Awami League and in sections of the armed forces. It has favourites in the army and in the Awami League. They have favourite individuals and [India] has leverage over them.”

He said that these Bangladesh politicians and senior officials “are people who ask for Indian advice about decisions.”

“In Awami League, people lobby to get Indian support. That is known in the army, police, and intelligence services and within the Awami League. This is a known and an accepted fact. It is just not articulated.”

He went on to say, “The Awami League has given India that pride of place. It is the Awami League who is giving India a berth within Bangladesh rather than India desiring it.”

India’s interests in Bangladesh

The SOAS academic said that “India never cared about democracy in Bangladesh, as long as the person in power supports Indian national interests.”

He thinks though, “India does not decide policy” but it does have “clear asks.”

These are, first, to treat the Hindu community fairly. India does not want an exodus of Hindus from Bangladesh to India. Second, to make sure that Bangladeshi territory is not used to host militant groups seeking to attack India. And the third is improved transport connectivity, to obviate economic obstacles created by 1947 partition borders.

Paliwal says that Hasina has delivered on all these “asks”.

However, he noted that the “trade deficit between Bangladesh and India is massive” and that Bangladesh is far from being the “beneficiary” of the relationship.

India does, however, have some reservations about Bangladesh, “India’s problem with Bangladesh is not that it does not help India enough, but that Hasina has limited her own politics and narrowed her own political support by her actions, and hedging the bets in relation to China.”

For example, Paliwal points to India’s concern that Bangladesh purchased submarines from China and allowed China to invest heavily in Dhaka’s infrastructure projects. India is also concerned that Hasina has created a political turmoil for herself in Bangladesh which could in the future allow China to dislodge India from its influential perch.

US and India’s view on Bangladesh

A lot has been written about the US policy towards Bangladesh, its imposition of sanctions on the Rapid Action Battalion and its senior officers and more recently its push for “free and fair elections” in Bangladesh, culminating in its introduction of an election visa policy that allowed the US to stop those who interfered with fair elections from getting US visas.

Paliwal, however, thought that US pre-election visa policy was in fact “very cautious”. The US “did not name the individuals sanctioned. Only the individuals who were sanctioned knew.”

The US State Department, he said, thought that supporting free and fair elections in Bangladesh aligned with its global stance against authoritarianism and that there was a wider risk that Sheikh Hasina’s centralised use of state authority — preventing a peaceful transfer of power — could enable China to get the upper hand in Bangladesh, which India would in the end not be able to counter.

Regarding the US stance on the country’s main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Paliwal said, “The US never had a preference for the BNP, though India thinks it does.”

Paliwal said that India and the US policies towards Bangladesh, “don’t interconnect. There is no meeting of minds between the US and India.”

He added that while in India “there is a consensus over policy”, in the US there is a split between on the one hand the State Department and on the other US national security agencies “who are making bottom line calculations [about national security interests] and do not want to rock the boat.”

He thinks that when push comes to shove, “the US is not going to impose blanket sanctions on Bangladesh.” He points to the fact that sanctions take a long time to act, they have unforeseen results, and that once the US used the sanctions, it would have limited leverage as it had already pressed the button.”

He did say however that “targeted sanctions might still come.”

India in current political scenario

In relation to the current political situation, he said that India did try to reach out to the opposition BNP to get them to participate in the election, but that it was “too late and they offered too little”.

He said that Delhi was surprised by BNP’s capacity to endure as a party, and how Tarique Rahman, from exile in London, had been able to get the BNP’s factions together.

India’s foreign policy is generally very conservative, he said. “I think it will support Hasina to the hilt until the ground shifts when a whole new political reality emerges at Hasina’s cost.”

Paliwal, back in November 2023, said that India is the only country close enough to Bangladesh who could use military power quickly if necessary. He pointed out that his research has found that during the Pilkhana mutiny in 2009, India was on the verge of committing troops into Bangladesh to ensure that its military supported Sheikh Hasina, so in an extreme situation, Bangladesh is not off limits for the Indian military.

However, Paliwal thinks that in a real crisis “at most India would undertake some tailored army intervention to save Hasina’s life” if she was under threat.

Nothing more.

Bangladesh Army

There is always in Bangladesh much consideration given to the role of the army. It was only 16 years ago that the army, in effect, pressured the president to announce an emergency, as part of an internationally supported “coup”. This resulted in a two year hiatus of political government, which ended in the election of the Awami League government in 2009.

Paliwal views the current Chief of Army Staff, SM Shafiuddin Ahmed, as someone who is “loyal” to the prime minister and who “prides himself in playing by rules.”

“By rules I mean to the rule that the civil administration is superior to the military.” However, at the same time, he says, it would “not take much to shift” his position and noted that Shafiuddin does have a rivalry with Tarique Siddique, the prime minister’s security affairs advisor.

BNP’s strategy and a black swan event

Back in November, Paliwala said that “Both sides wanted the other to escalate and then to trip. They want the other to over-escalate. The AL wants the BNP to burn more buses. And the BNP wants AL to kill more people.”

He thought that if the army did not intervene (a situation he thought unlikely), the BNP is hoping for a 1996 scenario, in which the election is so discredited, that there is a popular demand for a new election organised under a non-partisan government.

He pointed out that a powerful moment for the BNP will be when its chairperson, Khaleda Zia, dies and Tarique Rahman, her son, would have to decide whether to return from London to Dhaka.

“If he says he wants to go to his mother’s janaza, that could be a powerful moment for the BNP,” Paliwal said. “It could bring millions onto the street. The homecoming of the prodigal son. Whether the government allows him to attend or arrests him at the airport, it would cause all kinds of political problems. Either way, the government is reacting to his politics. It could be a black swan event that no one has really thought about.”

Finally, I asked Paliwal, as I ask everybody, who he thought would win an election if it was free and fair. “The BNP, due mostly to anti-incumbency factors,” he said. “But, AL would give the BNP a good fight.”●

David Bergman (@TheDavidBergman) is a journalist based in Britain who has written widely on Bangladesh. (He was English Editor at Netra News until May 2023)

 

[Saif]

Why India wants Hasina government to stay - - observerbd.com

www.observerbd.com

Why India wants Hasina government to stay​

Published : Wednesday, 23 August, 2023 at 12:00 AM Count : 584
Samara Ashrat

Washington has been informed that India, a friendly neighbouring democracy, is dissatisfied with the United States' ongoing involvement in the approaching 12thparliamentary elections in democratic Bangladesh.

Because New Delhi believes that a weak Hasina administration in Bangladesh will be bad for India and the United States alike. According to diplomatic sources, New Delhi informed the Biden administration of this at several levels of discussions. In this instance, New Delhi has said that it shares Washington's desire for free and fair elections in Dhaka. However, the different measures being done by America to topple the Hasina administration are in no way beneficial for the general security of India and South Asia as a neighbouring nation.

The diplomatic camp claims that the US struck a deal behind closed doors with Afghanistan without taking into account its minorities, women, or children, and that Afghanistan is now paying the price. The whole region's security structure has been completely upended as a result of the decision to remove US forces from Afghanistan. The north-eastern border area of India is currently under peril. At this point in Afghanistan, the Taliban are at their strongest. The Biden administration has proposed a unique visa policy for Bangladesh exclusively, which New Delhi does not deem to be appropriate at all before of Bangladesh's 12th legislative elections. The diplomatic side contends that by enforcing the rules of its own nation and establishing a unique visa policy for Bangladesh, the American government actively meddled in the domestic affairs of Bangladesh. Additionally, South Block believes that if the US continues with this approach and gives Jamaat-e-Islami a "political concession," fundamentalism would soon take over Dhaka. There won't be a liberal environment as there is now.

Bangladesh would therefore resemble Afghanistan, which will not be pleasant for India, Bangladesh's friendly neighbour. India and Bangladesh are two next door nations.

Bangladesh has the longest land border with India. New Delhi told the Biden administration that if the Jamaat is exposed, just as India's cross-border terrorism may increase, China's influence in Bangladesh will increase a lot, which neither India nor Washington wants. It is believed that the United States has always tried to portray Jamaat as a political Islamic organization. But if Jamaat is given a chance, Bangladesh will become a hotbed of militancy, thereby increasing killings and smuggling across India's border, making it a poison bed for India.

​

Bangladesh transit facility with India's north-eastern region, resolution of border problem, electricity import from India, one billion dollar loan by India to Bangladesh, Bhutan-Nepal transit facility with joint support, enclave exchange, issuing visas to 1.5 lakh Bangladeshis in various fields every year are many significant issues. As a result of the friendly relations between Bangladesh and India during the tenure of the Bangladesh Awami League government, many important issues have been resolved by the agreement of the two friendly countries and some issues that are still unresolved, such as the much-discussed Teesta Agreement, are expected to resolve these issues if the Bangladesh Awami League government continues. Besides, new and positive ways will be opened in the sincerity of the two countries. If Sheikh Hasina is re-elected with the support of the people through the 12th National Assembly elections, it is hoped that all the worries will be settled and friendship will be unbroken through beautiful solutions.


Moreover, by expanding the scope of cooperation between the two countries in various fields including border protection, blue-economy, space research, cyber security and economic cooperation, the relationship will be stronger and stronger through the bilateral meeting of the prime ministers of the two friendly countries if the continuity of the Bangladesh Awami League government is maintained.

In this case, India considers the continuation of the current Awami League government in Bangladesh essential for its own interests. As a result of US interference in the internal politics of Bangladesh, the terrorist organization BNP-Jamaat will be able to confuse the situation and come to power in Bangladesh through the back door, which will not be good for both India and Bangladesh. In this situation, the Indian government considers it essential to maintain the continuity of the Bangladesh Awami League government, the pro-liberation force, in order to maintain the long-standing friendly relations with its friendly Bangladesh for its own sake.

Besides, the people of Bangladesh also want to maintain friendly relations with India, a friendly country that cooperated during the liberation war, by maintaining the continuity of the Bangladesh Awami League government, which believes in democracy and the great power of the liberation war. The United States should not interfere in the internal politics of democratic Bangladesh and turn Bangladesh into a second Afghanistan by allowing the pro-Pakistanis to come to power.

The writer is a PhD fellow, International Relations, University of Bucharest​

 

[Saif]

Awami League’s glorification of India unbecoming
Published: 00:00, Mar 18,2024

WHAT the ruling Awami League’s general secretary Obaidul Quader has said about the national elections, held on January 7, noting that no powerful country could interfere as India stood strongly beside the Awami League appears to be premised on a wrong basis, sounds illogical and is, therefore, unbecoming of him. What the Awami League’s general secretary, also the road transport and bridge minister, at the biennial conference of the Bangladesh Puja Celebrations Council in Dhaka that took place on March 16, has said also glorifies India — which has supported all three national elections of Bangladesh in 2024, 2018 and 2014 that were somehow tainted by being neither non-participatory and representative nor free and fair. Such glorification of India by the secretary general of Bangladesh’s ruling party also contradicts with aspirations of Bangladeshis as all the three national elections at hand have had a role by varying measure in the trampling of citizen’s electoral rights, finally leading to the disenfranchisement of citizens to such a point that the Election Commission has had to make a strong case for even a debatable face-saving voter turnout, which almost none believed.

No one — none of the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union — is reported to have been trying to interfere in Bangladesh’s national elections. What they all wanted was that the elections should be participatory, inclusive, representative, free and fair. It is the ruling party stalwarts and ranking government functionaries that have often claimed that the foreign powers have wanted to interfere in the national elections. It, rather, appears incidental that what the powerful international quarters wanted — free, fair, participatory and representative elections in Bangladesh — largely matched the aspirations of Bangladeshis, outside the ruling quarters, who could not, and could not properly, exercise their voting rights for a long time. And, now, it is the ruling party leaders that say, without naming but alluding to them, that foreign powers could not interfere in the elections as India strongly stood by the Awami League. The minister has also said that India has not interfered. But supporting the Awami League in holding one-sided elections for three consecutive occasions could well mean that India has, rather, interfered with the aspirations of millions of Bangladeshis. The ruling party’s general secretary at the conference has also said that the relations between Bangladesh and India has now reached a new height where problems such as border death issues have been resolved through discussions and progress has been made in the Teesta water sharing agreement. Indian border guards have, in fact, kept killing Bangladeshis — 30 in 2023, 23 in 2022 and 16 in 2021 — indicating rather an increase. As for Teesta water, India has not only put on hold the signing of the water sharing treatment, which both New Delhi and Dhaka agreed on in 2010, India is also reported to have built at least 30 dams and a barrage upstream the river, never having cared to let Bangladesh know of its obstructing the natural flow of the cross-border river.

It is time the Awami League came out of its India appeasement policy and, rather, cared for the interests of the citizens of Bangladesh.​

 

[Saif]

আপস হয়ে গেছে, দিল্লি আছে আমরা আছি: ওবায়দুল কাদের

তিনি বলেন, শেখ হাসিনা বঙ্গবন্ধুর কন্যা এমন ভারসাম্য সবার সাথে করে ফেলেছেন, আর কোনো চিন্তা নাই। ইলেকশন হবে, যথাসময়ে হবে।

bangla.thedailystar.net

আপস হয়ে গেছে, দিল্লি আছে আমরা আছি: ওবায়দুল কাদের​

তিনি বলেন, শেখ হাসিনা বঙ্গবন্ধুর কন্যা এমন ভারসাম্য সবার সাথে করে ফেলেছেন, আর কোনো চিন্তা নাই। ইলেকশন হবে, যথাসময়ে হবে।
আমিনবাজারে আওয়ামী লীগের শান্তি সমাবেশে বক্তব্য দেন ওবায়দুল কাদের।

আমিনবাজারে আওয়ামী লীগের শান্তি সমাবেশে বক্তব্য দেন ওবায়দুল কাদের। ছবি: স্টার

বাংলাদেশ আওয়ামী লীগের সাধারণ সম্পাদক এবং সড়ক পরিবহন ও সেতুমন্ত্রী ওবায়দুল কাদের বলেছেন, কোথায় স্যাংশন কোথায় ভিসা নীতি। তলে তলে আপস হয়ে গেছে। দিল্লি আছে, আমেরিকারও দিল্লিকে দরকার। দিল্লি আছে আমরা আছি। শত্রুতা কারো সঙ্গে হবে না সবার সঙ্গে বন্ধুত্ব হবে। শেখ হাসিনা সবার সঙ্গে বন্ধুত্ব করে ফেলেছেন।

আজ মঙ্গলবার সন্ধ্যায় রাজধানীর প্রবেশমুখ আমিনবাজারে ঢাকা জেলা আওয়ামী লীগের আয়োজনে 'বিএনপি-জামায়াতের সন্ত্রাস, জঙ্গিবাদ, নৈরাজ্য, অপরাজনীতি ও অব্যাহত দেশবিরোধী ষড়যন্ত্রের' বিরুদ্ধে আয়োজিত শান্তি সমাবেশে ওবায়দুল কাদের এসব কথা বলেছেন।​

​

তিনি বলেন, 'বিএনপি এখন পথ হারিয়ে দিশাহারা। কীসে দিশাহারা? দুই সেলফিতেই বাজিমাত। একটি সেলফি দিল্লিতে আরেক সেলফি নিউইয়র্কে। শেখ হাসিনা ও তার মেয়ে পুতুল জো বাইডেনের সেলফি, প্রথমে দিল্লি পরে নিউইয়র্ক, দুই সেলফিতেই বাজিমাত।'

ওবায়দুল কাদের বলেন, 'শেখ হাসিনা বঙ্গবন্ধুর কন্যা এমন ভারসাম্য সবার সাথে করে ফেলেছেন, আর কোনো চিন্তা নাই। ইলেকশন হবে, যথাসময়ে হবে। অক্টোবর থেকে, এই মাস থেকে শুরু।

আগামী মাসে সেমিফাইনাল, জানুয়ারিতে ফাইনাল। বিএনপি এখন ফাউল করতেছে, ফাউল করলে হলুদ কার্ড, ফাউল করলে লাল কার্ড। খেলা নিয়ে ফাউল করা চলবে না।'

'বিএনপি খালেদা জিয়াকে ছাড়া ইলেকশন করবে না, না করুক। এতদিন কই ছিল? খালেদা জিয়া বছরের পর বছর জেলে। তার জন্য একটা আন্দোলনও করতে পারল না ফখরুল। আর এখন খালেদা জিয়া ছাড়া নির্বাচন করবে না,' যোগ করেন তিনি।

তিনি বলেন, 'শেখ হাসিনা নাকি নিষ্ঠুরতা দেখাচ্ছে, কেমন নিষ্ঠুরতা? ১৫ই আগস্টে বঙ্গবন্ধুর পরিবারকে তারা রক্তাক্ত করেছে। শেখ হাসিনা, শেখ রেহানা সেদিন বিদেশে ছিলেন বলে বেঁচে গিয়েছিলেন। নিষ্ঠুর কারা? যারা এইদেশে জাতির পিতাকে হত্যা করেছে, জেলখানায় ৪ নেতাকে হত্যা করেছে, শেখ হাসিনাকে হত্যা করার জন্য গ্রেনেড হামলা চালিয়েছিল। কে করেছে এই কাজ? হাওয়া ভবন। খালেদা জিয়ার ছেলে তারেক জিয়া। শেখ হাসিনাকে হত্যা করতে চেয়েছে।'

'শেখ হাসিনাকে এ পর্যন্ত ২০ বার হত্যার ষড়যন্ত্র হয়েছে' উল্লেখ করে ওবায়দুল কাদের প্রশ্ন করেন, 'বেগম জিয়াকে কি একবারও কেউ হত্যা করতে গিয়েছে? বেগম জিয়ার জীবনের ওপর একবারও কি হামলা হয়েছে? আওয়ামী লীগ তা করবে না। কারণ আওয়ামী লীগ হত্যার ষড়যন্ত্রের রাজনীতিতে বিশ্বাস করে না। আওয়ামী লীগ ষড়যন্ত্র করে না। কিন্তু আওয়ামী লীগ বারবার ষড়যন্ত্রের শিকার হয়। এখনো আওয়ামী লীগের বিরুদ্ধে ষড়যন্ত্র চলছে।'

দেশে নিত্যপ্রয়োজনীয় দ্রব্যমূল্যের ঊর্ধ্বগতি প্রসঙ্গে মন্ত্রী বলেন, 'জিনিসপত্রের দামের আজ যে ঊর্ধ্বগতি, সেই দাম যেন কমে সেজন্য শেখ হাসিনা অবিরাম চেষ্টা করে যাচ্ছেন। জিনিসপত্রের দাম এখন একটু বেশি, সারা দুনিয়ায় বেশি। শেখ হাসিনা চেষ্টা করে যাচ্ছেন, ইনশাল্লাহ নির্বাচনের মধ্যে দাম একটু একটু করে কমে যাবে। মানুষের ক্রয়ক্ষমতার মধ্যে জিনিসপত্রের দাম চলে আসবে, চিন্তা করবেন না।'

তিনি বলেন, 'খালেদা জিয়া ছাড়া নির্বাচনে যাবে না, আর কত হুমকি, অক্টোবর মাস তো চলে যাচ্ছে, ৪৮ ঘণ্টার আলটিমেটাম বুড়িগঙ্গায় ভেসে গেছে। আন্দোলনের নামে বিএনপি নেতারা দিশেহারা হয়ে ঘুরে বেড়ান।'

'আমেরিকার রিপাবলিকান ইনস্টিটিউট এক সমীক্ষায় মন্তব্য করেছে, এই মুহূর্তে ভোট হলে ৭০ শতাংশ লোক শেখ হাসিনাকে ভোট দেবে,' বলেন তিনি।

ওবায়দুল কাদের বলেন, 'বঙ্গবন্ধুর কন্যার ওপর আস্থা রাখবেন। তার মতো নেতা আর নাই। ৪৮ বছরে শেখ হাসিনার মত এমন জনপ্রিয় নেতা, সৎ নেতা বাংলাদেশে আর আসে নাই।'

'বিএনপির দম ফুরিয়ে গেছে। ওদের দিয়ে আর আন্দোলনও হবে না, নির্বাচনও হবে না। ভোট হবে, ভোট বাংলাদেশে হবে, যে যত ষড়যন্ত্রই করুক, নির্বাচন বাংলাদেশে হবেই ইনশাআল্লাহ। সুষ্ঠু নির্বাচন হবে, অবাধ নির্বাচন হবে, ফ্রি ফেয়ার নির্বাচন হবে,' যোগ করেন তিনি।

'আওয়ামী লীগ নিষেধাজ্ঞার পরোয়া করে না' উল্লেখ করে ওবায়দুল কাদের বলেন, 'আমরা ভিসা নীতির পরোয়া করি না। আমরা ঠিক আছি, আমরা তো শান্তিপূর্ণ নির্বাচন চাই। কেন তাহলে ভিসা নীতি, কেন তাহলে নিষেধাজ্ঞা।'

তিনি বলেন, 'কেউ নিষেধাজ্ঞা দেবেন না, নিষেধাজ্ঞার ধামকি দেবেন না। নিষেধাজ্ঞা শেষ। দেখেন না ফখরুল সাহেবের গলার আওয়াজ নরম হয়ে গেছে।'

বিএনপি ক্ষমতায় এলে আবারও লুটপাট করবে উল্লেখ করে মন্ত্রী বলেন, 'মানুষ বুঝে গেছে, বিএনপির লাফালাফি-বাড়াবাড়িতে জনগণের কোনো লাভ নাই। এই চোরারা চুরি করার জন্য আবারও দুর্নীতি করবে, লুটপাট করবে, আবারও ভোটচুরি করবে। ক্ষমতায় এলে বিএনপি গণতন্ত্র গিলে খাবে।'

ওবায়দুল কাদের বলেন, 'ডিসেম্বরে বলেছিল খালেদা জিয়া দেশ চালাবে। ৯ মাস চলে গেছে। এখন খালেদা জিয়া চিকিৎসার জন্য শেখ হাসিনার কাছে আবেদন করে। ৪-৫ বছর হাজিরা পর্যন্ত দেয়নি। এতদিন খালেদা জিয়ার মামলার ফয়সালা হয়ে যেত হয়ত মুক্তিও পেত। কিন্তু মামলা ফয়সালা হয়নি শুধু বিএনপির জন্য। বিএনপি মামলা ঝুলিয়ে রেখেছে৷ আদালতে ঝুলিয়ে রেখেছে, খালেদা জিয়াকে দেখিয়ে যদি কিছু করা যায়।'

শিগগির গাবতলী ব্রিজ হয়ে যাবে উল্লেখ করে সেতুমন্ত্রী বলেন, 'আমিনবাজারের ব্রিজগুলো একে একে সব হয়ে গেছে। গাবতলি ব্রিজও শিগগির হয়ে যাবে। গাজীপুরের বাস র‍্যাপিড ট্রানজিটও হয়ে যাবে। আগামী বছর লাইনের ওপর বাস চলবে। সুদিন আবার আসবেই। সুখ চাইলে একটু কষ্ট লাগেই। এই কষ্ট বেশিদিন থাকবে না।'

ঢাকা জেলা আওয়ামী লীগের সভাপতি ও ঢাকা-২০ আসনের সংসদ সদস্য বেনজীর আহমেদ সভাপতিত্বে ও ঢাকা জেলা আওয়ামী লীগের সাধারণ সম্পাদক পনিরুজ্জামান তরুণের সঞ্চালনায় সমাবেশে বিশেষ অতিথি হিসেবে উপস্থিত ছিলেন, আওয়ামী লীগের সভাপতিমণ্ডলীর সদস্য কামরুল ইসলাম, জাহাঙ্গীর কবির নানক, দলের যুগ্ম-সাধারণ সম্পাদক আ ফ ম বাহাউদ্দিন নাছিম, সাংগঠনিক সম্পাদক মির্জা, ঢাকা-১৯ আসনের সংসদ সদস্য ও দুর্যোগ ব্যবস্থাপনা ও ত্রাণ প্রতিমন্ত্রী ডা. এনামুর রহমান।​

 

[Vikings]

@Saif , I would like to see where Hasina herself said that India is supporting her or India wants her to stay in power? Could you please show me? Thank you!

 

[Saif]

@Saif , I would like to see where Hasina herself said that India is supporting her or India wants her to stay in power? Could you please show me? Thank you!

Could you please show me where Hasina had said that China was supporting her to stay in power? Whatever Obaidul Kader said about Indian influence in the election was actually what Hasina had told him to say. No prime minister in the world ever acknowledges foreign help in the election in public.