Bangladesh wants good working relations with India: Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain

Bangladesh is seeking to strengthen its ties with India, emphasizing the importance of mutual respect and reciprocal interest.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain said on Monday in response to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s recent comments that “there are anti-India remarks from Bangladesh.”

“We have a clear decision that we want good working relations with India on the basis of mutual respect and reciprocal interest. We have no ambiguity about this”, Touhid Hossain told the reporters.

Hossain stated that Bangladesh wants good working relations with India and also noted that India needs to decide what kind of relationship it wants with Bangladesh.

“But India also has to decide what kind of relationship it wants with Bangladesh. It’s a matter of both sides”, he added.

Hossain pointed out that there are also anti-Bangladesh remarks from India, citing an example of an Indian Chief Minister suggesting sending a peacekeeping force to Bangladesh.

“He (Jaishankar) complained that there are anti-India remarks from Bangladesh. But there are also anti-Bangladesh remarks from India. An Indian Chief Minister asked to send a peacekeeping force to Bangladesh. We have to try to improve the relationship assuming these things will continue”, Touhid said.

Hossain also expressed concerns about Sheikh Hasina’s remarks, stating that they are harmful to the relationship between the two countries.

“Sheikh Hasina’s remarks staying under Indian hospitality are harmful for relations. She is adding fuel to the fire”, the Adviser said.

Additionally, he mentioned that India’s decision to grant visas is up to them, but if not granted, Bangladesh will explore alternative options.

“It is absolutely up to India whether India will grant a visa or not. But if visa is not granted we will choose alternative”, he said.

Recently, Jaishankar met with Hossain on the sidelines of the Indian Ocean Conference in Oman, where they discussed bilateral relations and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).

Following the meeting, Jaishankar said that the talks were focused on the bilateral relationship between two countries and Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).

“Met Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain of the Interim Government of Bangladesh. Conversation was focused on our bilateral relationship, as also on (BIMSTEC),” Jaishankar wrote on X.

Bangladesh Foreign Ministry also issued a statement after the meeting in which it stated that two sides discussed on various bilateral issues of mutual concerns and interests.

Bangladesh Foreign Ministry said in a statement recalling their last meeting on the sidelines of UNGA in September 2024 said both leaders noted that since then the two countries have participated at various bilateral engagements.

These include the Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between Bangladesh and India at the level of Foreign Secretaries was conducted in Dhaka on December 9 2024, Energy Adviser of Bangladesh participated at the India Energy Week events in New Delhi on 10-11 February 2025, among others, the statement said.