Foreign adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Monday said that Delhi needed to decide what kind of relationship India wanted with Bangladesh.
He made the remarks while asked to comment on recent remarks of Indian external affairs minister S Jaishankar鈥檚 regarding Bangladesh and India bilateral relations.
During a literary festival at Delhi University on聽 Sunday, Jaishankar asserted that Bangladesh had to decide what kind of relationship it sought with India.
鈥楬e [Jaishankar] mentioned that Bangladesh must decide what kind of relationship it wants with India. Of course, Bangladesh will determine its stance. But at the same time, India also needs to decide what kind of relationship it wants with Bangladesh. This is a mutual matter, and there is nothing wrong in stating that,鈥� Touhid told reporters at the foreign ministry.
The adviser reaffirmed that Bangladesh had a clear stance on its relations with India, emphasising the importance of a good working relationship based on mutual respect and shared interests.
鈥榃e want a relationship built on mutual understanding, and there is no ambiguity in our position,鈥� he said.
Touhid also criticised the statements made by Bangladesh鈥檚 ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina during her stay in India, claiming that her remarks were detrimental to Dhaka-Delhi relations.
鈥業f we want to improve ties, then a former prime minister, making various statements while enjoying Indian hospitality, fuels tensions only. It is widely recognised that her remarks are adding fuel to the fire,鈥� he asserted.
On the issue of Indian visas, Touhid mentioned that it was India鈥檚 prerogative to grant or deny visas.
He, however, stressed that if Bangladeshis faced difficulties in obtaining visas, alternative solutions would have to be explored.