PM Won’t Visit India Without Favorable Conditions
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s possible formal travel to India has been the subject of weeks of speculation by the media in both Bangladesh and India. However, no media outlet in either nation was able to verify whether or not the Prime Minister was indeed visiting New Delhi by citing certain government sources. Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has now made it clear that the PM Tarique Rahman would not travel unless a conducive climate is established, putting an end to all rumours. Foreign Secretary A. K. M. Shahidul Karim explained the conditions for such an environment, saying that India must immediately return the convicted Sheikh Hasina and other fugitive criminals under the bilateral extradition treaty, as well as turn over the accused killers of Osman Hadi, the martyr of the July Revolution, to Bangladesh. Bangladesh’s position is clear-cut, rational, and unequivocal.
Foreign Secretary Mr. Karim elaborated on how India damaged diplomatic ties, pointing out that representatives from both nations had been communicating for weeks about a possible state visit. But on August 5, Sheikh Hasina, who was found convicted of crimes against humanity by the International Crimes Tribunal, ruined the chances of a favourable atmosphere by addressing a news conference in New Delhi. The Bangladeshi government formally asked the Indian government to confine the runaway convict before the event after knowing that she planned to speak to the media. Unfortunately, Bangladesh’s demand was ignored by India, which permitted the address to take place as planned. As a result of a convicted criminal speaking against Bangladesh and its people on Indian land, Bangladesh released a forceful statement expressing profound concern and legitimate outrage.
The administration should be praised for its unwavering position, especially the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Previous governments have adopted a servile foreign policy for the last 20 years, surrendering national independence, sovereignty, and dignity while characterising diplomatic ties as a ‘husband-wife relationship’. That government was overthrown by the historic July Revolution, which restored Bangladesh’s freedom and dignity. The newly elected administration is now strengthening the precedent set by the interim government, which showed the guts to engage India on equal terms. An elected government that is accountable to its citizens cannot submit to any one country. Twenty years of one-sided diplomacy are officially over under the rule of ‘Bangladesh First’, which gives national concerns priority.
Practical factors require that Bangladesh wants positive ties with India in terms of trade, business, and regional collaboration, given that the two countries share a border of more than 4,500 km. However, India’s self-serving strategy and conventional ‘big brother’ stance have often attempted to stifle Bangladesh’s interests, leaving important bilateral issues unaddressed. 54 shared rivers still lack water-sharing agreements; the 30-year Ganges Treaty expires in December without any active discussions; and Teesta is still at a standstill. Beyond water resources, relations are still strained by smuggling, significant trade disparities, and ongoing border murders of Bangladeshi residents. It is impossible to make significant progress without fair answers to these problems.
India bears full responsibility for meeting the prerequisites necessary for a favourable environment. India must stop interfering in Bangladesh’s internal affairs, give up its ‘big brother’ mentality, and rigorously uphold the ideals of sovereign equality and good-neighborly relations in addition to returning fugitives and resolving outstanding bilateral problems. Strictly keeping to the ‘Bangladesh First’ philosophy, Bangladesh will continue to cultivate amicable bilateral ties with neighbours and international partners based on national dignity, mutual benefit, and non-interference. It is anticipated that India would exhibit the sincerity, goodwill, and aggressive diplomacy required to successfully address these fundamental challenges.
