Bangladesh Signals Reconciliation with India Amid Rising Tensions

Dhaka: Amid ongoing tensions with India, Bangladesh’s interim government has indicated a willingness to normalize ties with its large neighbor. Finance Advisor Salehuddin Ahmed stated on Tuesday that Dhaka has no intention of maintaining strained relations with India.

This comes at a time when protests and the suspension of visa services threatened to further strain bilateral relations. Ahmed emphasized that the interim administration, led by Mohammad Yunus, is actively working to improve and stabilize relations with India.

First Sign of Reconciliation

The statement marks the first clear signal of reconciliation from Bangladesh. Finance Advisor Ahmed, who is acting as Finance Minister in the interim government, made the remarks following Dhaka’s approval to import rice from India. Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat, he said:

“The current interim government does not wish to have any strained relations with a major neighbor like India. Our main goal is to further develop bilateral ties and maintain economic stability.”

Yunus Personally Driving Efforts

Ahmed added that Mohammad Yunus is personally engaged in efforts to ease tensions and normalize relations with New Delhi. According to the Bangla daily Desh Rupantar, the interim government is committed to preventing any deterioration in ties under any circumstances.

Addressing some India-critical statements by certain Bangladeshi politicians, Ahmed clarified that these were political remarks with no role of the interim administration. He reiterated that the Yunus government is committed to maintaining stable and cooperative relations with India.

Focus on Economic Cooperation

Confirming the approval to import 50,000 metric tons of rice from India, Ahmed stressed that the current political situation will not affect trade or economic collaboration. The move, he said, aims to strengthen economic relations. He assured that imports of essential commodities will continue without obstacles and that the interim administration is carefully managing the situation, prioritizing national interests while advancing bilateral ties.

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