Since Sheikh Hasina fled Bangladesh, violent movements and attacks in the country are not stopping, especially the most attacks are happening against Hindus. On these reports, a senior leader of Bangladesh Nationalist Party says that former diplomats, bureaucrats, institutions and leaders are misleading India to convince it that India-Bangladesh relations will deteriorate without the Hasina-led government. He says that India’s concern about the safety of minorities in Bangladesh is futile because it is an internal matter of the country and our government is capable of protecting everyone.
Days after India expressed concern over the safety of minorities in Bangladesh, Amir Khusro Mahmud Chowdhury, leader of the Khaleda Zia-led BNP, said it was an internal matter of the country. However, he also said that Bangladesh wants strong ties with India, its closest neighbour.
Chowdhury’s party BNP has been a long-time rival of Hasina-led Awami League (AL). Hasina left the country for India on August 5 in the wake of the nationwide student movement. After this, an interim government was formed on August 8 under the leadership of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, which will work till the elections are held. In an interview to ‘PTI-Bhasha’, Chowdhury targeted the “attitude of former diplomats, officials, political leaders and institutions” and alleged that they are misleading India about Bangladesh. He said that due to this, India-Bangladesh relations have deteriorated.
An unnecessary scare has been created
He said, “This so-called system has created such a fear that if there is no Awami League, there will be security problems for India; if Sheikh Hasina is not there, the country will go into the hands of fundamentalists; if there is no Awami League, Hindus in Bangladesh will be in danger.”
fabricating a false story
He said, “This is a completely false and deliberately fabricated story. These people should wake up now. Bangladesh is one of the most liberal countries; Hindus and Muslims have lived together here for centuries.” The minority Hindu population has suffered economic losses and allegations of destruction of Hindu temples have surfaced during the violence that continued for several days after the fall of the Hasina government in Bangladesh.
can protect minorities
“There may be differences of opinion, but no government in Bangladesh supports attacks on its minorities. The Constitution of Bangladesh guarantees equal rights to all and above all, we do not believe in the concept of minority and majority. We regret to say on the question of minorities that it is an internal matter of Bangladesh,” Chowdhury said. “How can others comment on the issue of minorities in our country? How can it come in the way of diplomatic relations? It is our internal matter. We never complain about what happens to Indian minorities, so no one should comment on the issue of minorities here,” he said.
Urging India to leave the “past” (BNP rule in the early 2000s) behind, Chowdhury said, “India has to understand the pulse of the people of Bangladesh. The relationship should be with the people of Bangladesh.”