Foreign adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Saturday said that India needed to address Bangladesh鈥檚 longstanding concerns to improve bilateral ties between Dhaka and New Delhi.
鈥楤angladesh鈥檚 previous government addressed the concerns of India, but India did not address Bangladesh鈥檚 concerns,鈥� he said while speaking at a roundtable titled 鈥楤angladesh-India relations: expectations, barriers and future鈥�.
The South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance and the department of political science and sociology of North South University hosted the event on its campus in Dhaka.
鈥楾here has been no progress on crucial issues between Bangladesh and India such as the Teesta water-sharing agreement or the troubling problem of border killings,鈥� Touhid said.
鈥楽uch incidents do not occur along the borders of other countries unless there is a state of war,鈥� he said adding that India had to take responsibility for these issues.
鈥業f individuals commit crimes, they might be prosecuted in court, but shouldn鈥檛 be killed,鈥� the adviser added.
Touhid also raised concerns about an aggressive media campaign in India against Bangladesh, especially since August 5, noting that such rhetoric was detrimental to fostering healthy relations between the two nations.
鈥業n such a complex relationship, our [Bangladesh] media has a key role to play in fact-checking and providing accurate coverage, especially regarding statements from our foreign ministry,鈥� he said.
Despite current diplomatic challenges, the adviser expressed optimism about the future of Bangladesh-India relations accepting the reality in the context of the post-August 5 changed situation.
鈥楾here is a change in the relations after August 5. This is reality,鈥� he said.聽
鈥楬owever, Dhaka wants to remain optimistic that we would be able to establish a good relation with India making sure that bilateral interests are protected.鈥�
Touhid emphasised the importance of a national consensus on foreign policy, saying that Bangladesh could not fully capitalise its potentials due to political divisions.
The adviser also highlighted the need to enhance the country鈥檚 national capacity, particularly through the development of human resources.
Bangladeshi workers in the Middle Eastern countries earned significantly less than their Indian counterparts. That was due to a lack of skills and poor proficiency in English, he explained.
Vice-chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party SM Asaduzzaman Ripon, joint member secretary of the AB Party Asaduzzaman Fuaad, former diplomat Saquib Ali, former principal staff officer of the armed forces division lieutenant general (retired) Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman, vice-chancellor of Manarat International University professor Mohammad Abdur Rob attended the roundtable as panel discussants.
NSU vice-chancellor professor Abdul Hannan Chowdhury was in chair while M Jashim Uddin, associate professor of the department of political science and sociology acted as the moderator.
