'Positive Relations with All': B'desh's New Interim Govt to Maintain Balanced Foreign Policy

Dhaka:  Bangladesh's newly-installed interim government on Sunday said it would maintain a "balanced" foreign policy, asserting that Dhaka intends to maintain "smooth and positive" relations with all, including India and China.

"Our policy is to maintain good relations with all countries while protecting our national interests," interim government's Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain said during his first press briefing at the foreign ministry.

Hossain, whose position is equivalent to a minister, said it is meaningless to assume that this interim government is focused solely on any particular direction.

"We intend to maintain smooth and positive relations with all ... including India and China," said Hossain, who previously served as a deputy high commissioner to India.

When asked about the interim government's approach towards India, Hossain said both countries share a strong and deep bond.

"(But) it is important that people feel India is a good friend of Bangladesh...We want that, we want to advance the (Dhaka-Delhi) relation towards that direction,” said Hossain, a career diplomat and former foreign secretary.

He said the interim government "would like to see India cooperate with us in this regard" and underscored the need for “addressing public expectations by delivering tangible outcomes from the bilateral ties with India”.

This was the first media interaction of Hossain since the interim government was sworn in on Thursday after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India following widespread protests against her government over a controversial quota system in jobs.

Hossain said the interim administration was committed to staging a fair and impartial election, which was its "key objective”.

"Speculation at this point is unnecessary," he said, without commenting on the interim government's possible tenure.

He sought support from the international partners for the interim administration, saying "Their concerns are our concerns." Hossain said that the interim administration was committed to bringing to justice the perpetrators of violence, including attacks on minorities, after the ouster of the Awami League government.

He said the chief adviser Muhammad Yunus would soon meet with representatives from minority communities.

He hoped the law and order situation would improve significantly within a week.

Asked about the possibility of bringing home Hasina, he said this matter falls under the jurisdiction of the law ministry while his office would respond only if that ministry makes any such request. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Republic and is published from a syndicated feed.)