India should consider Bangladesh as an equal, not a younger brother: Mirza Fakhrul

ছবিঃ সংগৃহীত

News Desk: Regarding relations with India, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, I have said very clearly that the kind of relations we want to have with other countries, India is also like that. We want to have a functional relationship with them. Provided if India behaves like that, if India behaves like a good neighbor, now Hasina is being asked back, if she is returned and does not interfere, does not interfere in Bangladesh, takes immediate steps to solve water problems, stops border killings - then there is definitely no reason not to have good relations with them. But the first thing is, they have to take initiatives to improve relations and instead of considering Bangladesh as a younger brother, they have to think of it on an equal level that Bangladesh is an independent sovereign state, it has to be done with equal status and there has to be a respectful relationship.
He said these things in a special interview with a media outlet in the country on Sunday (July 13).

Regarding the discussion that the minus two formula is still active, he said, "These seem like gossip to me. Unfortunately for us, the people of Bangladesh like to talk a little, like to argue, like to chat - these are long-standing characteristics of the people of Bangladesh. I am not saying it negatively.

Nowadays, especially through social media, it is having such a big impact on society, they are mixing truth and falsehood in different ways and they are having an impact. Not only me personally, but I think that all politicians as politicians should see these but should not be moved by them or let them not have an impact. We ourselves will bring issues that we think are in favor of the people for the country and that are in our party manifesto, our party's ideology, this is normal. Because different parties will say different things in the reform commission meeting.

This is being put on air again. People are thinking, arguing, why is everything not becoming one! It will not be one, the point of democracy is not to be one. But tolerating other people's opinions. In that case, there is no reason to be so restless. I think everything is on the right track.

We hope that the elections will be held by February 2026. Once the elections are held, the political problems and the closely related economic problems will be resolved.

Regarding the rumors that BNP has aligned with India, he said, "I did not say that it is unfortunate for the people of Bangladesh. This is because democracy has not been practiced in Bangladesh for a long time, so the problem lies in creating rumors, making stories, and bringing up the issues of gossip in a different way. Until now, we have declared what kind of relationship a political party will have with other countries, or not, or what it will do. Our declaration includes that our relations with India will be completely in line with our declared policy, that is, everyone will be our friend, no one will be our enemy, and we will make arrangements to promote it further. Because there are several realities. The reality is that India is our neighbor. A big neighbor.

He said, the reason why the people have so many troubles, so many questions, so many things regarding the relations with India is that India has not acted in the right way regarding the needs and desires of the people of Bangladesh in the past. For example, it had a deep relationship with the previous government. With the Awami League. Since the Awami League could not solve the problems of Bangladesh with India during the previous government, the water problem was not solved, the division was not resolved, the killings on the border were not resolved, interfering in the elections, interfering in the administration, and now again giving shelter to the fallen fascist Hasina - all this has undoubtedly created a big negative reaction among the people of Bangladesh. That is why people are very interested in how the BNP's relationship with India is? How is the relationship with the Jamaat? How is the relationship with the NCP? We have made it very clear about our relationship that we want to have a functional relationship with India, just like we want to have with other countries. Provided India behaves that way, if India treats you like a good neighbor, now Hasina is being asked back, if she is returned and does non-interference, does not interfere in Bangladesh, takes immediate steps to solve the water problems, stops the killings on the border - then there is definitely no reason not to improve relations with them. But the first thing is, they have to take initiatives to improve relations and instead of considering Bangladesh as a younger brother, they have to think of it on an equal level that Bangladesh is an independent sovereign state, it has to be done with equal status and there has to be a respectful relationship.