Bangladesh will seek “cooperative” ties with India, protecting Hindu community is “foremost” duty

3 months ago 30

Democratic Bangladesh will seek "cooperative" relations with India and protecting the Hindu community is the "foremost" duty: Zafar Sobhan, Editor, Counterpoint, to Karan Thapar for The Wire. ......................................... In a wide ranging and comprehensive interview to discuss the outcome of the recent elections in Bangladesh and the new government that will be formed by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party with Tarique Rahman as the new Prime Minister, one of Bangladesh’s most highly regarded newspaper editors has said that Bangladesh is now a democracy, even if credible questions can be raised about an election that excluded the Awami League, a major party. Zafar Sobhan, the Editor of Counterpoint and former Editor of the Dhaka Tribune, says that the Tarique Rahman government will seek “cooperative” relations with Delhi and ensuring the safety and security of Bangladesh’s 13 million Hindus will be the “foremost” duty of the new government. Mr. Sobhan says he does not believe the incoming BNP government will repeat the free hand that was given in 2001-2006, by the BNP-Jamaat government of the time, to Indian insurgent groups and, particularly, ULFA. Mr. Sobhan also believes that whilst Bangladesh under Tarique Rahman will seek good relations with Pakistan, Bangladesh is a very different country to what it was 20 years ago and economically a far more successful and powerful country than Pakistan, with a considerably greater per capita income. He explicitly says that there will be no role for the ISI in Bangladesh. “I think he (Tarique Rahman) will be cognizant of the fact that if he seems to be too pally with Pakistan that that will have a negative effect or repercussion with New Delhi.” “The notion that Bangladesh will become a play thing in the hands of the ISI is insulting. It is reading from a playbook of two decades ago which is no longer existing in today’s world. I think the fundamental difference is that, yes, Bangladesh may have a good relationship with Pakistan but the relationship we had two decades ago, which was so worrisome for India, is very very unlikely to recur. This is because Bangladesh is a very different country from what we were two decades ago and our relationship with Pakistan, even though it may be a good relationship, it’s not going to be a subservient relationship. And, therefore, India has nothing to worry about in terms of Pakistani activity, in terms of whether ISI is going to be active in Bangladesh.” I will stop there. If you want to understand the new Bangladesh that is emerging, Tarique Rahman who will be the new Prime Minister, and the sort of policies he will follow as well as, in particular, his attitude to and relationship with India, then I think this is an interview you should watch closely and carefully. Mr. Sobhan has spoken about all these issues candidly, objectively and in a very balanced and convincing way. To help you, I will give you the main questions put to Mr. Sobhan. Here they are: 1) Before I come to the results let me ask if you believe after Thursday’s elections democracy has been restored in Bangladesh? Is Bangladesh now a democracy? 2) What do you say to people who point out that the fact the Awami League was barred, even though Bangladeshi polls suggest up to 20% support the party, though some would put it higher, has vitiated the election and undermined it? 3) Alright let’s come to the results. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party has won well over two-thirds of the 300 seats. Does this mean Bangladesh will have a strong stable government but also under tremendous pressure to deliver results? Join The Wire's Youtube Membership and get exclusive content, member-only emojis, live interaction with The Wire's founders, editors and reporters and much more. Memberships to The Wire Crew start at Rs 89/month. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChWtJey46brNr7qHQpN6KLQ/join

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