DHAKA : Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun
Kobir on Saturday said Bangladesh wants cooperation and good working relations
with India based on mutual respect despite the challenges that the relationship
is facing, reports UNB.
“We want cooperation with India, but it must be based on
mutual respect. We should have a good working relationship with India,” he said
while responding to a question during a panel discussion.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam and
Prime Minister’s Adviser on Education Mahdi Amin also spoke, with the
discussion moderated by Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam.
The Adviser said it is the norm of diplomacy to regularise
working relationships within the neighborhood, and the government intends to do
that.
“You know, we’ve made a visit. We expect visits to Dhaka,
and either way, we will build the visibility of a working relationship with
India. We intend to do that. But the environment must be conducive to
accommodating this approach.”
Adviser Humaiun Kobir said there are challenges in the
relationship, and there has been a “tremendous deficit” in the relationship
that they picked up over the last 15 years.
“It was one way, and it was not done with the interests of
the people of Bangladesh in mind,” he said.
He, however, said they remain positive, given the recent
visit of Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman to New Delhi. Adviser Humaiun
Kobir was part of the visit.
The Adviser highlighted the positive mindset of the
leadership of both countries, who are committed to moving forward and making
progress.
“We can do that. And it can be achievable. Of course,
there are challenges. There are always challenges. When you have a terrorist
who has fled from Bangladesh after killing one and a half thousand people, and
who, to date, has shown no remorse and is trying to destabilise the country
from over there, of course, there are challenges,” Humaiun Kobir said.
He said they need to look at the challenges, how to
overcome them, and how they can work together.
So, the reset must realise that Sheikh Hasina does not
exist in today’s Bangladesh politics, he said.
Organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in
collaboration with the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), the
conference brought together senior government leaders, heads of diplomatic
missions, development partners, and representatives from the private sector to
chart a forward-looking agenda for Bangladesh’s economic engagement.
The conference is featuring three thematic sessions: 1.
The Policy Compass – Advancing Trade & Investment, focusing on policy
predictability, market access, and investor confidence, 2 Capital for Growth –
Finance, Commerce and Trade, addressing financing reforms and investment
mobilisation, 3 The New Stage – Government Policy, AI, Creative Industries and
Sport, exploring emerging growth sectors and diversification opportunities.
The “Roadmap for Trade, Growth & Economic Diplomacy
2026” is being held at a critical juncture of global transitions, risks and
uncertainties, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The event aims to foster greater coordination between policy and implementation, enhance Bangladesh’s economic diplomacy, and build stronger partnerships with the international community.
