Bangladesh wants harmonious ties with India, but New Delhi mustn't interfere: Jamaat-e-Islami chief

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer advocates for balanced relations with India, US, China, and Pakistan, emphasizing non-interference in internal issues.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami supremo Shafiqur Rahman has said his party seeks harmonious and stable ties with India but asserted that New Delhi needs to reconsider its foreign policy in the neighbourhood, as bilateral relations do not entail interfering in each other’s internal issues.

Mr. Rahman, who is the Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, stated that his party supports close relations between India and Bangladesh but also believes that Bangladesh should maintain strong and balanced relations with countries like the US, China, and “Pakistan, by leaving behind the baggage of the past.”

Mr. Rahman, 65, contended that New Delhi's perception of Jamaat-e-Islami as anti-India is mistaken, asserting that “Jamaat-e-Islami is not against any country; it is a wrong perception. We are pro-Bangladesh and are solely interested in safeguarding the interests of Bangladesh,” and emphasised that this perception needs to change.

The Jamaat-e-Islami suggested that it would have been better if former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, after resigning due to unrest, had not fled to India. He advocated for her to return to Bangladesh to face the law.

“India is our neighbour, and we want a good, stable, and harmonious bilateral relationship. However, India has done a few things in the past that did not sit well with the people of Bangladesh," he said.

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"For instance, during the 2014 Bangladesh elections, a senior Indian diplomat visited Dhaka and dictated who should participate and who should not. This was unacceptable, as it is not the role of a neighbouring country. We believe India will eventually reevaluate its foreign policy concerning Bangladesh. We think interference in each other’s internal issues should be avoided,” he added.