Bangladesh FM refutes reports of rift with India, cites 'historically close relationship'

Addressing a virtual meeting, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen dismissed reports of his country's alleged rift with India. He was reacting to Indian High Ambassador Riva Ganguly Das being unable to meet Bangladeshi premier Sheikh Hasina. Maintaining that Bangladesh was everyone's friend, he highlighted the historically close relationship with India.

According to him, Hasina had not met many foreign ambassadors who had gone back to their respective countries. In fact, he revealed that the Bangladesh PM was not meeting anyone due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is chairing Cabinet meetings via video conference. Rejecting any impact of Pakistan PM Imran Khan's phone call to Hasina, Dr. Abdul Momen said that this was not going to affect the bilateral relationship with India.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen remarked, "We are a peace-loving country and we are everyone’s friend, no one’s enemy. Bangladesh has a close relationship with India historically. A call from someone or someone doing something is not going to affect the bilateral relationship."

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“Media said the Indian High Commissioner has not been able to meet the prime minister for four months. Meanwhile, many foreign ambassadors have gone back home and the prime minister did not meet any of them. Therefore, the information which has come out is completely false and fabricated,” he added.

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Bangladesh explains stance on LAC faceoff

On this occasion, the Bangladesh Foreign Minister also refuted the charge that his country's position vis-à-vis India had changed because of the relationship with China. This assumes significance as Bangladesh was conspicuous by its silence on the India-China faceoff at the Line of Actual Control. Explaining the reason for not commenting on the issue, he contended that the Indian government had not formally communicated about the martyrdom of its soldiers. 

Dr. Abdul Momen clarified that neither India nor China had asked for support from Bangladesh. Mentioning that his country does not know enough about the matter, he stressed the need for a peaceful and stable situation. Observing that a solution should be worked out through negotiations, he reiterated that Bangladesh never meddles into any other country's internal affairs. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished his Bangladeshi counterpart on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha earlier in the day. 

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