Dhaka: If “big neighbour” India were to extend a hand to strengthen relations, Dhaka will reciprocate, chief whip of Bangladesh Jatiya Sangsad (parliament), Nurul Islam Moni, said on Monday.
Bangladesh expects India, as a “big country” and neighbouring country, to extend its hand towards strengthening bilateral relations, Moni told ANI.
“We expect that India, as a big country, they will extend their hands to build up its relation with our country. We are ready to build up our relationship with them also. So, hopefully, it will be in a good position in the near future,” he said.
Dhaka wants India-Bangladesh relations to be maintained on the basis of equality and sovereignty, while emphasising on mutual respect and mutual understanding.
“We expect that they (India) will maintain the relation on the basis of our equality, on the basis of our sovereignty, on the basis of our respect and everything, mutual respect and mutual understanding,” Moni said.
Speaking about the review of 101 agreements between India and Bangladesh, he said the exercise was aimed at assessing the agreements and determining whether changes were required in Bangladesh’s interest.
Some agreements were beneficial while others could be reviewed, the Bangladeshi politician said, adding that the objective was not to scrap them but to ensure that both countries benefited.
“It is not for scrapping. Actually. It is being reviewed for a win-win situation. That India… our neighbouring country, they should get the winning situation; at the same time, our country also gets the winning situation. That is… that is what we are trying to do,” Moni said.
On the possibility of Bangladesh prime minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to India, he said no exact date had been decided and that the visit would depend on an understanding between the two governments and the schedules of the two PMs.
“Sooner or later, which I don’t know. That is… it will be depending on the understanding between the two countries, between the two governments, two prime ministers… when they will get the time and all… everything will be as per order, then they will make the visit. When it will happen, exact date I cannot give it to you,” he said.
Bangladesh expects bilateral understandings concerning individuals to be implemented and people facing legal proceedings or punishment should be dealt with in accordance with the law, Moni said.
This remark was probably in connection with Bangladesh’s demand for the extradition of the country’s former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who is now in India. She has been sentenced to death by a tribunal in Bangladesh.
