If India says anything, it would be better for the region: Foreign minister

Amid the discussion over news reports regarding India sending a message to the US, taking the side of the government of Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh foreign minister AK Abdul Momen on Sunday said, if India says anything for the sake of regional stability, surely that would be beneficial for this whole region.

The foreign minister was talking to newspersons at his ministry office.

The government of India is a highly judicious government, remarked foreign minister Abdul Momen. “They are a strong democratic country. They have done what they deemed better. There is nothing to say about this.”

German media outlet Deutsche Welle carried a report saying that India sent message to the US, taking the side of Sheikh Hasina. It said, India in its message to the US said that if the government of Sheikh Hasina becomes weaker in Bangladesh, geopolitically it would not bode well neither for India nor the US. Because, India thinks the hold of organisations like Jamaat-e-Islami will grow stronger if Sheikh Hasina’s government becomes weaker. The US considers Jamaat as a political organisation and compares it with Muslim Brotherhood. On the other hand, India considers Jamaat to be an extremist fundamentalist organisation.

The message of India further stated that Bangladesh and India share a long land-boundary. India’s border security will be at stake if any organisation like Jamaat becomes stronger in Bangladesh. India also thinks organisations like Jamaat have strong ties with Pakistan.

Reacting to this report, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, secretary general to de facto opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party that has been waging one-point movement to oust the Awami League government, said it would be sad if India takes any step going against the wishes of the people of Bangladesh.

On the other hand, ruling Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader said India and the US have common interests in this region. That is why if India has sent any message to the US, they said that for their sake.