Changes in relations after 5 August a reality, says foreign adviser
Foreign Affairs Md Touhid Hossain briefs media on Thursday (17 October). Photo: UNB
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Foreign Affairs Md Touhid Hossain briefs media on Thursday (17 October). Photo: UNB
Amid intensified diplomatic tensions between the two neighbours, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain today (30 November) said they expect to maintain a good relationship with India, accepting the reality in the context of the post-5 August changed situation.
“We want to remain optimistic that we would be able to maintain a good relationship with India, making sure that bilateral interests are protected,” he said.
The Adviser was speaking at a roundtable titled “Bangladesh-India Relations: Expectations, Barriers and Future.”
The South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance (SIPG) and the Department of Political Science & Sociology (PSS), North South University, hosted the event at the syndicate hall of NSU.
Hossain said Bangladesh had some concerns, and there are still some unaddressed concerns, while the previous government tried to address India’s concerns.
He expressed belief that India would proceed to realise the changed situation but acknowledged that there are barriers which are normal in any relationship. “There is a change in the relations after 5 August. This is reality.”
The panellists of the roundtable were Barrister Asaduzzaman Fuaad, joint member secretary, AB Party, Saquib Ali, former diplomat, Lt Gen (retd) Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman, former Principal Staff Officer, Armed Forces Division, Prof Dr Mohammad Abdur Rob, Vice-Chancellor, Manarat International University, and Dr SM Asaduzzaman Ripon, Vice Chairman, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
The roundtable was chaired by Prof Abdul Hannan Chowdhury, Vice-Chancellor, North South University, and moderated by Dr M Jashim Uddin, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science & Sociology (PSS), North South University.