Bangladesh’s relations with India are improving after the formation of the interim government following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina, says BNP’s Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Indian High Commissioner to Dhaka Pranay Verma recently met Fakhrul at the BNP office. “There have been questions about our relationship since the last election. But this time, the high commissioner’s visit has definitely improved the situation. The ice is starting to melt,” Fakhrul told Indian news agency ANI.
Bangladesh and India have historically shared very close ties since the former’s independence in 1971.
Recently, Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain and Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a meeting on the sidelines of the UNGA in New York. “The meeting, coming after a change of power in Dhaka, is very significant. We believe it will boost bilateral relations,” he said.
Fakhrul called for fostering ties, saying that people-to-people contacts are essential for improving bilateral ties.
Meanwhile, the BNP leader said the party has asked its units to remain vigilant ahead of Durga Puja, scheduled to be celebrated from October 9 to 13. “We’re always working to protect the minorities,” he said.
There were a series of attacks on minority communities after the fall of Hasina on August 5. Political parties, including the BNP and religion-based parties like the Jamaat-e-Islami, made efforts to prevent the attacks and protect the minorities.
