Want stable ties with India, but Delhi mustn’t interfere: Jamaat supremo

Dhaka, August 28

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami supremo Shafiqur Rahman has said his party seeks harmonious and stable ties with India but asserted that New Delhi needs to reconsider its foreign policy in the neighbourhood, as bilateral relations do not entail interfering in each other’s internal issues.

Rahman, who is the Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, stated in an interview with PTI that his party supports close relations between India and Bangladesh but also believes that Bangladesh should maintain strong and balanced relations with countries like the US, China, and “Pakistan, by leaving behind the baggage of the past.”

Rahman, 65, contended that New Delhi’s perception of Jamaat-e-Islami as anti-India is mistaken, asserting that “Jamaat-e-Islami is not against any country; it is a wrong perception. We are pro-Bangladesh and are solely interested in safeguarding the interests of Bangladesh,” and emphasised that this perception needs to change.

The Jamaat-e-Islami suggested that it would have been better if former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, after resigning due to unrest, had not fled to India. He advocated for her to return to Bangladesh to face the law.

“India is our neighbour, and we want a good, stable, and harmonious bilateral relationship. However, India has done a few things in the past that did not sit well with the people of Bangladesh,” he said.

“For instance, during the 2014 Bangladesh elections, a senior Indian diplomat visited Dhaka and dictated who should participate and who should not. This was unacceptable, as it is not the role of a neighbouring country. We believe India will eventually reevaluate its foreign policy concerning Bangladesh. We think interference in each other’s internal issues should be avoided,” he added.

Rehman stated that Jamaat-e-Islami desires India to be a “friend and play a responsible role in bilateral ties,” while also emphasising that his party acknowledges its responsibility to improve relations but insists that these ties must remain “non-interfering in each other’s internal issues.”

“Working together and interfering are two different things. Working together has a positive connotation, whereas interference is negative. Bilateral ties should mean cooperation and mutual respect. India is our closest neighbour; we share both land and sea borders, so we should have good ties as you cannot stay away from your neighbour,” he said.