Relations between Bangladesh and India have to be built on the basis of sovereignty, mutual interest and dignity as the dimension and equation of Bangladesh's relations with India have changed after 5 August.
Learning from past mistakes, it is essential to establish national consensus on national interests, such as relations with India.
Experts made this remark at a roundtable organised at North South University in the capital on Saturday.
Foreign affairs adviser Touhid Hossain said that the role played by India’s media has not been helpful in establishing normal relations between the two countries.
The roundtable, titled 'Bangladesh-India Relations: Expectations, Obstacles, and the Future', was jointly organised by North South University’s South Asia Institute of Policy and Governance (SIPG) and the Department of Political Science and Sociology.
In his speech as the chief guest, foreign affairs adviser Touhid Hossain said, "Before 5 August, there was one kind of relationship with India. After 5 August, that changed, and this is the reality. Based on this reality, we need to rebuild our relationship with India and maintain it. Any change takes time. I believe that India will realise how to move forward with Bangladesh in this changed situation, and they are already doing that. I hope they will continue accordingly."
Discussing the obstacles in the relationship between the two neighbours, the foreign adviser said, "There are some obstacles. The previous government made every possible effort to address the concerns India had. We also had some concerns, and we still have. If both our concerns had been properly addressed, there would not have been any hesitation in the bilateral relationship. Broadly speaking, India had not taken any action on the concerns we had."
Despite the current tensions, expressing hope for the relationship between the two countries, Touhid Hossain said, "Relationships are not about one day, one year, or even one decade; they are long-term matters.
Relationships don’t always go the same way. We remain hopeful that we can establish a good relationship where the interests of both parties are preserved. Most importantly, the relationship should be such that it safeguards the interests of both countries, preventing it from going in one direction only."
He pointed out the unresolved issues of water distribution and border killings in advancing the relationship between the two countries.
Touhid Hossain said, "I have always strongly spoken out about border killings. Even when I met Indian officials face-to-face, I told them this is absolutely unacceptable. This is the only border in the world where two countries are not at war, yet people are shot and killed. This is not the case anywhere else in the world. India must address this issue, as it is a major obstacle. There is no need to shoot people in this manner. Crime happens at all borders, but there is no need to kill people for that. If someone commits a crime, they should be handed over to the law for proper trial."
Criticising the role of India’s media for the recent bitterness in relations, Touhid Hossain said, "The Indian media has suddenly become fiercely negative towards us. I have said this clearly and openly, and mentioned it in various statements. The role India’s media has taken is not at all helpful in establishing normal relations between the two countries. Why they are doing this, they can explain better."
There is a need for the media in this country to play a role by fact-checking and exposing the falsehoods being spread in the Indian media, he added. The foreign adviser also said, "When a statement is issued by the foreign ministry, it should be on the front page, not in the inside pages. I am suggesting this. This is your decision. But I believe people will want it to be displayed prominently when we respond to any issue."
In the discussion, BNP vice chairman Asaduzzaman Ripon said that the current government did the right thing by arresting Chinmoy Das, spokesperson of Sammilito Sanatani Jagaran Jote. He emphasised that this issue should not be viewed from a religious perspective and that anyone violating the law should be brought to justice. Asaduzzaman Fuad, joint secretary of the AB Party, said that neighbouring countries can never be friends.
"How can India be a friendly state of Bangladesh? In the July mass uprising, the Indian agents' wall has crumbled. In any crisis, the people of Bangladesh need to be provided with five years of military training," he added.
Geopolitics, China, and India
Former Principal Staff Officer (PSO) of the Armed Forces Division, Lieutenant General (retd.) Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman said that India, as a regional power, will naturally attempt to exert dominance or influence over smaller countries.
However, the problem is that the fear of China's dominance in the region constantly haunts India, he said adding this is why India tends to take a somewhat controlling stance towards Bangladesh.
Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman also pointed out the post-July uprising situation.
He said, "Why is India concerned about post-July revolution Bangladesh? In my opinion, Bangladesh is not like any other neighbour to India. Bangladesh holds special strategic importance for India. The obstacle to India's aspirations to be a leading power in the Indian Ocean region is China. China has already succeeded in bringing nearly all the ports in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal into its sphere of influence. Now, India's concern is the potential inclusion of Chinese influence in Bangladesh's ports."
Highlighting India's significant investments in Afghanistan to use it as a strategic base against Pakistan, Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman pointed out that these investments were thwarted by the return of the Taliban to power. Afghanistan has now built a relationship with China, which creates a similar possibility for Bangladesh, posing a threat to India.
He further noted that the smaller countries in the region are increasingly turning against India. Countries that once had friendly relations with India are now distancing themselves. Describing Bangladesh as important for India's security in South Asia, he emphasised that a regional or emerging power seeking to control smaller nations takes into account three factors: creating instability, generating security concerns, and creating a democratic crisis. In the context of security concerns, he mentioned escalating tensions in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, complicating the Rohingya issue to increase anxiety, and creating minor border tensions.
Former diplomat Shakib Ali said, "Our government has never considered the interests of Bangladesh. They have always prioritised the interests of their party. We must ensure that this never happens again in the future."
Professor Mohammad Abdur Rob, vice chancellor of Manarat International University, said, "When India's leadership refers to the people of Bangladesh as 'termites,' it reveals their attitude toward us. To keep us under pressure, they are threatening to send back Muslims from Assam and West Bengal. However, we want to have a dignified relationship with them, based on equality and partnership."
Professor Abdul Hannan Chowdhury, vice-chancellor of North South University, chaired the roundtable.
Professor Sheikh Towfiq M Hock, Director of SIPG, among others, spoke. The session was moderated by associate professor Md Jasim Uddin from the Department of Political Science and Sociology.