New Delhi:

The political churn in Bangladesh is that country’s “internal matter” but India is keen to continue what was a stable relationship, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told NDTV Tuesday afternoon, underlining the maxim that neighbouring nations are “dependent on each other”.

In a wide-ranging interview Mr Jaishankar touched on Russia’s war on Ukraine and Delhi’s potential peacemaker role in that conflict, as well as Iran leader Ayatollah Khamenei’s remark, the war in Gaza, and a flurry of foreign visits in the first 100 days of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term.

“What happens is their internal matter. Bangladesh is our neighbour and the relationship, on our part, is something we want to keep stable. We have good trade… our people-to-people ties are good… I want to keep the relationship that way,” Mr Jaishankar said on the Bangladesh crisis.

Bangladesh battled civil unrest and violence last month – the result of a student-led movement against quota in government jobs – that forced then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign. Ms Hasina fled Dhaka in a military aircraft to land at an Air Force base near Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad.

She was expected to proceed to London to claim political asylum but British Home Office sources told NDTV its rules do not allow people to travel to that country to seek asylum or temporary refuge.

READ | What Are Ex Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina’s Plans? India Says…

For now, Ms Hasina is believed to be in the custody of Indian intelligence agencies.

Last month Mr Jaishankar told Parliament Ms Hasina’s office had requested permission to flee Dhaka for Delhi “at very short notice”. At an all-party briefing he said the Indian government was prepared to give Ms Hasina time to decide on her next steps, which could include political retirement.

READ | Want Good Ties With India But On Basis Of “Equality”: Md Yunus

Last week Nobel laureate Md Yunus – who leads an interim government – said his country too wants to maintain its previous good relationship with India, but that these ties should reflect “fairness and equality”. Mr Yunus said he had received a congratulatory phone call from Prime Minister Modi.

“We want the world to recognise Bangladesh as a respected democracy,” the 84-year-old, who opted for a ‘Chief Advisor’ title rather than ‘Prime Minister’, said in his first address to his nation.

READ | “Stay Silent In India Till…”: Md Yunus’ Message To Sheikh Hasina

For Ms Hasina, the Chief Advisor had stern warning, demanding she must remain silent to prevent compromising the two countries’ relationship till her extradition is sought. “If India wants to keep her till Bangladesh wants her back, the condition would be that she has to keep quiet,” he said.

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Dhaka:

Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma today met interim government’s Home and Agriculture Adviser Lt Gen (Retd.) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury and discussed areas of engagement to advance security cooperation, exchanged views on border management, capacity building, and safety of Indian nationals in Bangladesh.

During his meeting with Mr Chowdhury, Mr Verma also announced that Indian visa centres are now issuing a limited number of visas for Bangladeshi nationals, primarily for emergency medical needs and students pursuing studies abroad.

“HC Pranay Verma called on Bangladesh Home & Agriculture Adviser Lt Gen (Retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury today. Discussed areas of engagement to advance India-Bangladesh security cooperation, exchanged views on border management, capacity building, and safety & security of India nationals & students in Bangladesh,” the High Commission of India in Bangladesh said in a post on X.

HC Pranay Verma called on Home & Agriculture Adviser H.E. Lt Gen (Retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury today. Discussed areas of engagement to advancesecurity cooperation, exchanged views on border management, capacity building, and safety & security of nationals & students in pic.twitter.com/oXLpi7F5MC

— India in Bangladesh (@ihcdhaka) September 2, 2024

They also discussed areas of mutual interest in the agriculture sector, including possible collaboration between agricultural research institutions and exchanges in mechanized farming, post-harvest management etc, the mission said in another post.

According to the Daily Star newspaper, the meeting addressed a range of bilateral issues, including police reforms, border security, and the safety of Indian nationals in Bangladesh.

“Our two countries should work together on flood warning and forecasting,” the adviser was quoted as saying by the paper.

Mr Verma assured him of India’s assistance with necessary data and information for flood warning and forecasting, the paper added.

The adviser assured the high commissioner that the Indian nationals residing in Bangladesh would be provided full security. He added that Indian students are welcome to continue their studies in Bangladesh, the paper said.

The interim government headed by 84-year-old Nobel laureate Yunus was installed days after prime minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India on August 5 following unprecedented anti-government student-led protests over a controversial quota system in government jobs.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Dhaka:

Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma today met interim government’s Home and Agriculture Adviser Lt Gen (Retd.) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury and discussed areas of engagement to advance security cooperation, exchanged views on border management, capacity building, and safety of Indian nationals in Bangladesh.

During his meeting with Mr Chowdhury, Mr Verma also announced that Indian visa centres are now issuing a limited number of visas for Bangladeshi nationals, primarily for emergency medical needs and students pursuing studies abroad.

“HC Pranay Verma called on Bangladesh Home & Agriculture Adviser Lt Gen (Retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury today. Discussed areas of engagement to advance India-Bangladesh security cooperation, exchanged views on border management, capacity building, and safety & security of India nationals & students in Bangladesh,” the High Commission of India in Bangladesh said in a post on X.

HC Pranay Verma called on Home & Agriculture Adviser H.E. Lt Gen (Retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury today. Discussed areas of engagement to advancesecurity cooperation, exchanged views on border management, capacity building, and safety & security of nationals & students in pic.twitter.com/oXLpi7F5MC

— India in Bangladesh (@ihcdhaka) September 2, 2024

They also discussed areas of mutual interest in the agriculture sector, including possible collaboration between agricultural research institutions and exchanges in mechanized farming, post-harvest management etc, the mission said in another post.

According to the Daily Star newspaper, the meeting addressed a range of bilateral issues, including police reforms, border security, and the safety of Indian nationals in Bangladesh.

“Our two countries should work together on flood warning and forecasting,” the adviser was quoted as saying by the paper.

Mr Verma assured him of India’s assistance with necessary data and information for flood warning and forecasting, the paper added.

The adviser assured the high commissioner that the Indian nationals residing in Bangladesh would be provided full security. He added that Indian students are welcome to continue their studies in Bangladesh, the paper said.

The interim government headed by 84-year-old Nobel laureate Yunus was installed days after prime minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India on August 5 following unprecedented anti-government student-led protests over a controversial quota system in government jobs.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Representative image. More than 60% of Indians and more than half of all Pakistanis surveyed believe the two countries cannot have friendly relations in this decade, says a new survey by the Centre for Policy Research.
| Photo Credit: R. V. MOORTHY

More than 60% of Indians and more than half of all Pakistanis surveyed believe the two countries cannot have friendly relations in this decade, says a new survey by the Centre for Policy Research (CPR)-C Voter that looks at the attitudes of Indians, Pakistanis, and Bangladeshis on a number of political, economic and foreign policy issues. The downturn in ties between India and Pakistan since 2016, after which no high-level bilateral talks have been held, is clearly mirrored in the mood in the two countries, shows the survey, which reached out to about 100,000 respondents, 12,000 of whom completed the survey in total across the three countries. 

In contrast, previous surveys in 2011 and 2013 had indicated a much higher optimism for reconciliation in the subcontinent, with the ‘Aman ki Asha (hope for peace)‘ poll in 2011 showing two-thirds of people surveyed in both countries had felt that peace was “attainable in their lifetimes”, up 35% since the 2011 survey. 

The survey was carried out in 2022, the organisers of the exercise said, and its results were released last week in Delhi in a report entitled ‘South Asia in a Changing World: What Citizens in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh think 75 years post-Partition’.

“What we have learnt is that South Asians are comfortable with several contradictions. While there is still much nostalgia about the Partition, they also now believe India and Pakistan cannot be friendly nations, “ explained CPR’s Rahul Verma, who co-authored the report. 

According to the survey, 48% Indians, but only 31% Pakistanis and 32% Bangladeshis would favour a “reversal” in the conditions created by the 1947 Partition. However, 62% of Indians felt it was unlikely and 28% said that it was likely that India and Pakistan could become friendly in the near future, while 52% of respondents in Pakistan said it was unlikely, and 38% said it was likely. Significantly, respondents in Bangladesh were more positive about the possibility of India-Pakistan ties, with more respondents there (45%) saying good relations were likely, and 40% saying they were unlikely. 

The survey results came even as External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar conceded at a public event last week that the chances of dialogue with Pakistan were now bleak. “I think the era of uninterrupted dialogue with Pakistan is over. Actions have consequences,” he said, speaking at the release of a book, Strategic Conundrums: Reshaping India’s Foreign Policy by former diplomat Rajiv Sikri in Delhi on Friday, where Dr. Jaishankar defended the Modi government’s policy in the neighbourhood.  

“Insofar as Jammu and Kashmir is concerned, Article 370 is done. So the issue today is — what kind of relationship can we possibly contemplate with Pakistan?” Dr. Jaishankar added, warning that India’s responses to “positive or negative events” would be reactive rather than passive. All eyes are now on how New Delhi will respond to an invitation from Pakistan for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s Heads of Government meet on October 15-16, as no Indian Minister has travelled to Pakistan in more than eight years. 

When asked about the role of global powers in the regions, the CPR-C Voter survey found that Indians believe their country had the highest influence in South Asia, while Pakistanis and Bangladeshis felt China had the most influence in the region, followed by the United States. Indians were the least concerned about Chinese interference (less than half) while more than two thirds of Pakistanis and Bangladeshis showed ‘high concern’ over Chinese interference, which is significant given the two countries have much closer bilateral ties with Beijing than India does.

Meanwhile, more Indians said they trust Russia than the United States, while only 18% said they trust China. Pakistani respondents also said they trusted Russia more than the U.S., although more than 84% trusted China, by far the most. For Bangladesh too, Russia was the most trusted (76%), while trust levels in the U.S. and China were equal (68% each).

The survey received completed responses on 75-80 questions dealing with the state of democracy, the strength of institutions, as well as trends in economic progress, and authoritarian tendencies of the leadership. 

“It seems that South Asians like strong leaders and technocrats,” Dr. Verma said, commenting on the results of the survey, which found most respondents quite optimistic about the future economic condition of their countries despite present distress. A large proportion felt that South Asia was becoming “more religious”, and a small proportion felt that the status of minorities and underprivileged groups was “worse than expected” in the three countries. Surprisingly, Bangladeshis worried the least about corruption and poverty in their country while Indians and Pakistanis largely felt both were “very big issues”.

The latest decision implies that the diplomatic passport that the deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina used while fleeing to India has now been revoked. File.
| Photo Credit: AP

The interim government of Bangladesh has decided to revoke all diplomatic passports issued to the Members of Parliament who served during the Awami League government, the security branch of the Home Ministry of Bangladesh said on Wednesday evening. The decision implies that the diplomatic passport that the deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina used while fleeing to India has now been revoked. 

“The security service of the Home Ministry has taken this decision after consulting all stakeholders and has already alerted all emigration counters of the country,” the Home Ministry said in a statement shared with the media here.

A formal order will be issued “at the earliest”, the notification said. Ms. Hasina had won from the Gopalganj-3 constituency to enter the Jatiyo Sansad in the January election as a re-elected MP.

Also read | Bangladesh’s student movement and Hasina’s exit: the hard truth and India’s hour of reckoning

The decision taken two weeks after the formation of the interim government has highlighted the antipathy that the interim administration and the student leaders have been expressing over the presence of Ms. Hasina in India. Ms. Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana left Bangladesh on August 5 as protesters flooded Dhaka.

The Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi has been tight-lipped about the diplomatic status that Ms. Hasina used to seek refuge in India though it is understood that as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh she had a diplomatic passport that she used while leaving for India.

Adviser for Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Spokeswoman of Bangladesh’s interim government, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, speaks during a press briefing in Dhaka on August 13, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AFP

Bangladesh may consider approaching an international platform for resolving the Teesta waters dispute, the new interim government’s adviser on water, forest, environment and climate change Syeda Rizwana Hasan said on Wednesday.

Referring to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s assertive stance on the Teesta, Ms. Hasan said the interim administration led by Nobel laureate Mohammed Yunus would take up the issues related to shared rivers between the two countries “forcefully”.

“We will not back down from presenting the rights of Bangladesh on the waters of the Teesta. You must have seen that in India, Mamata Banerjee says that she will not give us water while depriving her own people. So we will bring up the aspirations of our people living along the banks of the Teesta to the table,” Ms. Hasan said at a press interaction in the secretariat.

Advocating for Bangladesh

Ms. Hasan has been one of Bangladesh’s biggest champions for the environment and water resources, for which she won the 2012 Magsaysay award. She announced that Bangladesh’s new government would hold a dialogue with New Delhi regarding the shared rivers, including the Teesta. “The Joint River Commission has been negotiating on the Teesta waters but this time we will include the people who live along the Teesta in Bangladesh,” she promised.

“Whether we will get the water or not is not in our hands but we will have to speak about the issue always. This we will convey very clearly to India,” said Ms. Hasan, noting that Bangladesh has agreements with India on shared rivers such as the Kushiyara and Feni. She added that Dhaka and New Delhi will have to negotiate the renewal of their 1996 Ganga water sharing agreement, which was concluded during the now-ousted Sheikh Hasina’s first tenure as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. The Kushiyara agreement was signed in September 2022, when Ms. Hasina had visited New Delhi, finalising the first agreement on shared rivers since the 1996 Ganga agreement.

The Teesta negotiations, however, did not make any progress during Ms. Hasina’s latest 15-year tenure that ended on August 5, when her government was toppled by a massive public movement.

‘Just demands’

Discussing her ‘mandate’ to look after Bangladesh’s interests with regard to the shared rivers, Ms. Hasan said, “We will maintain friendly relations with India but we will present our claims and demands forcefully and may even approach international platforms to speak about our just demands.” She pointed out that Bangladesh has received invitations to discuss water-related matters from multiple countries, including from China. “Wherever we feel necessary, we will send our interlocutor,” Ms. Hasan said.

The shared rivers between the two countries came to the forefront on Wednesday as parts of eastern Bangladesh, especially Comilla and Moulavibazar, were inundated after heavy rains lashed neighbouring Tripura over the last few days.

Protests continue

Dhaka, which was battered by heavy rains on Wednesday, was additionally rocked by dramatic protests by students, workers and shopkeepers who demanded punishment for businessmen who were associated with the former PM, Ms. Hasina.

The police maintained a vigil and chose not to carry out any punitive action even as the capital witnessed daylong chaos on the roads because of the protest. The police forces continue to attend public duty without arms, and are often seen under the care of the military. Public sentiment continues to run high because of the large number of casualties that took place in police firing in the first few days of August.

Members of Hindu organisations hold a march against the violence on the minority community of Bangladesh amid the ongoing turmoil in the country, in Amritsar.
| Photo Credit: ANI

The United States is in touch with India and other countries in the region regarding the situation in Bangladesh and is seeking an end to the violence there, a State Department official has said here.

Also read: U.S. says ‘no involvement’ in ousting Sheikh Hasina

“I’m not going to get into private diplomatic discussions but we continue to push for an end to violence in Bangladesh, accountability and for the respect for rule of law,” US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said at his daily news conference on Wednesday.

He was responding to a question regarding the communication between India and the US on the situation in Bangladesh following the collapse of the Sheikh Hasina government.

“We have been in touch with our Indian partners as well as other countries in the region to discuss recent events in Bangladesh,” Patel said.

He also welcomed Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus’ statement, calling for calm and an end to the recent violence. “We welcome the new government’s focus on restoring security and protection of members of minority communities as well,” Patel said.

Meanwhile, the Hindu American Foundation on Wednesday urged the White House to act to protect the minority Hindu community in Bangladesh.

Biden’s silence questioned

“Latest reports are that the President (Joe Biden) is not commenting on the plight of Bangladeshi Hindus despite continuing reports of attacks,” the foundation said.

“Demand Action Now! The silence from President, Vice President and Secretary Blinken on the atrocities against #BangladeshiHindus is unacceptable. Lives lost, homes & temples destroyed—yet no condemnation from our US government,” it said in a post on X.

Washington-based NGO HinduACTion claimed that Hindus in rural areas of Bangladesh are being targeted the most.

“Their remoteness allows the Islamists more freedom and time to target them. Now that Mohammad Yunus is the new caretaker leaders, should the Vice President and the State Department work towards enabling grassroots education and awareness that ensures that the country’s Madrassa curriculum and the public discourse is purged of its anti-Hindu theological content.

“We hope the president and his advisors realize that if Bangladesh loses the last eight per cent of its Hindus, it will be a Taliban state with a lot of tree canopy cover,” it said on X.

A view of the border post, in Petrapole, India. File
| Photo Credit: AP

“Trade between India and Bangladesh through Petrapole land port in West Bengal, resumed on Thursday morning (August 8, 2024) amid tight security,” officials said.

Also Read: Bangladesh crisis LIVE updates

The two South Asian neighbours’ trade came to a halt on August 5 following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in Bangladesh and it partially resumed on Wednesday through several land ports in West Bengal, except Petrapole. Bilateral trade via Petrapole is the highest among all land ports shared with Bangladesh.

“Trade began from Petrapole since morning. There was a meeting yesterday with stakeholders from both countries to resolve the stalemate,” an official said, declining to be quoted.

Sajedur Rahman, general secretary of the Benapole C&F Staff Association, had said after the meeting on Wednesday evening (August 7, 2024) that trade is expected to resume in the morning on Thursday. Benapole is located on the Bangladesh side of the Petrapole border in West Bengal.

Trade, mostly of perishable goods, partially resumed at land ports such as Hili, Changrabandha, Mahadipur, Fulbari, and Gojadanga on Wednesday.

Officials said that in the wake of the Hasina government’s fall following large-scale violent protests against her government, India heightened security on the border.

The Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF) visited Petrapole on Tuesday (August 6, 2024) to review the situation along the international boundary amid the crisis in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh is India’s largest trade partner in South Asia, and India is the second-largest trade partner of Bangladesh in Asia. India’s exports to Bangladesh dipped to $11 billion in 2023-24 from $12.21 billion in 2022-23. Imports also declined to $1.84 billion in the last fiscal year from $2 billion in 2022-23.

India’s main exports to Bangladesh include vegetables, coffee, tea, spices, sugar, confectionery, refined petroleum oil, chemicals, cotton, iron and steel, and vehicles. In contrast, Bangladesh’s exports to India are concentrated in a few categories, with textiles and garments comprising 56% of their shipments.

New Delhi:

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar emphasised on the extensive collaboration between India and Bangladesh during Sheikh Hasina’s two-day state visit and said agreements signed today show the breadth of the bonds, from seas to space, digital, green, and health, military, rail, and disaster.

Mr Jaishankar also expressed confidence in the continued strengthening of the partnership under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina.

The Bangladesh PM arrived in India on Friday on a two-day State visit at the invitation of PM Narendra Modi.

“The agreements signed today show the breadth of our bonds. From seas to space, digital, green and health, military, rail, and disaster, our two countries are collaborating across all avenues of human endeavor. Confident that under PM @narendramodi and PM Sheikh Hasina’s leadership will keep growing from strength to strength,” S Jaishankar said on X.

Today’s State visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reflects the depth of the Bharat-Bangladesh Maitri.

That PM Hasina is the first State guest in our new term shows the importance we attach to the relationship. As PM @narendramodi said, Bangladesh lies at the… pic.twitter.com/uLSwFUS0yO

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) June 22, 2024

Further, Mr Jaishankar underscored the robust and accelerating ties between both nations and stated that Sheikh Hasina’s visit reflects the depth of their friendship citing it as ‘Bharat-Bangladesh Maitri.’

“Today’s State visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reflects the depth of the Bharat-Bangladesh Maitri. That PM Hasina is the first State guest in our new term shows the importance we attach to the relationship,” EAM said in a post on X.

“As PM @narendramodi said, Bangladesh lies at the intersection of our Neighbourhood First, Act East, SAGAR, and Indo-Pacific policies. Being truly good neighbours, our ties are consolidating traditional areas and covering new ground,” he added.

Following this, some announcements were also made, which included India’s initiative to start an e-medical visa facility for Bangladesh nationals coming to India for medical treatment

India will also open a new consulate in Rangpur, Bangladesh, to facilitate services for people in the north-west region of the country and a new bus service between Chittagong and Kolkata, a new train service between Rajshahi and Kolkata, Joint Technical Committee for discussions on renewal of the Ganga Water Treaty, Commencement of export of 40 MW of power from Nepal to Bangladesh through Indian grid etc

Earlier this morning, Sheikh Hasina was accorded a ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. It was followed by a visit to Rajghat topay respects to Mahatma Gandhi.

PM Modi and PM Hasina also held bilateral talks at Hyderabad House today and after that, she also addressed the media after a delegation-level talk with PM Modi.

The discussions focused on deepening collaborative engagement across various sectors between the two neighbouring nations.

During the current visit, both leaders engaged in productive discussions covering politics, security, trade, connectivity, water-sharing from common rivers, power, and energy, as well as regional and multilateral cooperation.

They reaffirmed their commitment to collaborate for mutual prosperity and progress.”As Dhaka and Delhi have started new journeys, we charted the future course of action to ensure a smart Bangladesh by following Vision 2041 and Viksit Bharat by 2047,” Prime Minister Hasina shared, indicating a forward-looking approach towards bilateral relations.

Prime Minister Hasina’s visit also includes meetings with the Honourable Vice President and President of India later in the day, which are expected to further bolster bilateral ties.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)