Bangladesh's foreign advisor Md. Touhid Hossain has termed ties with India as "close" while pointing that both countries need "mutually beneficial good relations". In the backdrop of his meeting with India's external affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar, speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal in Muscat on the sidelines of the Indian Ocean Conference earlier this week, he said, "we both understand each other's language, and we have discussed about the coming steps that we can take to improve relations". This was the second bilateral at the foreign ministers level between the two sides since last year. 

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Asked about Dhaka's ties with Pakistan under Yunus administration, he said, "I don't see any reason why Indian security should be jeopardized because of that (Dhaka-Islamabad ties), because we are not going to do anything that impacts the internal security of India, no, not at all". Pakistan-Bangladesh relations are witnessing a notable warming trend, particularly following the political shift in Bangladesh after Sheikh Hasina’s ouster in August 2024. Chief Advisor Md Yunus has met Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the D8 summit in Cairo even as trade has emerged as a key focus area.

The full interview on a range of issues, including the situation of minorities, border situation, ties with Trump administration etc.

Sidhant Sibal: How was your bilateral meeting with EAM Dr S Jaishankar. India has said it wants a mutually beneficial relationship with Bangladesh, what are the steps taken by Bangladesh on that front?
Md. Touhid Hossain: Bangladesh believes that both Bangladesh and India need a mutually beneficial good relation, and the present government of Bangladesh is working to that target. I had a good meeting with Dr S Jaishankar. I believe that we both understand each other's language, and we have discussed about the coming steps that we can improve relations on. We are having some bilateral meetings ahead, for example, the border security people of both the countries are going to meet very soon. We have also proposed that there could be other mutually agreed meetings that can help us to progress with the bilateral relations. We recognize that the change that took place in July, August, threw up some uncertainties about the relations, let us accept the reality that what has happened, and we just want both sides to come out of that and follow each other's requirements and go ahead with improving relations. 

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Sidhant Sibal: Sir, you mentioned about the steps, if perhaps you can elaborate on what are the steps which you're talking about.
Md. Touhid Hossain:  For example, we have already discussed the trade picking up already, because there was just for a short while, there was some stoppage of trade, or reduction of trade, but it has just picked up and the private sector is doing fine. We have recognized that, and at the official level, the two foreign secretaries have met, which is a positive thing, and we have also a mechanism for the next step, which is that we have a mechanism for meeting within the foreign ministers. Maybe someday we'll just go about that. These are the broad areas that we have discussed, in which all aspects of our relationship can be discussed and some decisions, some directions can come out from that.

Sidhant Sibal: Indian readout mentioned about the BIMSTEC summit. What's your view, and do you think that on the sidelines of the  BIMSTEC  summit, there can be a meeting between the Indian Prime Minister and the advisor, the chief advisor, Muhammad Yunus?
Md. Touhid Hossain: This is going to be one meeting in which I understand that the heads of government of both the countries are going to be present at the same time. In fact, you know that there was initially a possibility of the meeting of the two in New York, but then the time did not correspond. By the time the chief adviser Md Yunus had gone there, Mr. Modi was already back in India. This is one meeting which has the advantage that all the heads of government will be there together. Second thing is that it's not too large a group. It's a relatively small group. So usually, traditionally, each of the heads of government meet each of the others, so there is an opportunity for the two of them to meet.

Sidhant Sibal: India has raised the issue of the situation of minorities in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government has said that it is not communal in nature. It is more political in nature. It is done by Awami League. We have seen the comments by the Bangladeshi Government as well. Now, what are the steps taken by your government to instill confidence when it comes to the minorities in Bangladesh?
Md. Touhid Hossain: In the first place, let me propose that we come out of this minority issue, we have been having a lot of, you know, time spent on this during the last five months, particularly in the Indian media, often exaggerated, often even on pure falsehood. Let's come out of this. The minorities, I mean, the Hindus and others, are equal citizens of Bangladesh, as with the Muslims, they have equal rights. They have equal protection under the law. So we will take care of our minorities, as India has to take care of their minorities. And I don't think this should become an issue between two countries. We are there. The government is there, taking appropriate steps, the confidence is there among the minorities.  The number of Puja Mandaps have been exponential this time, nobody had any complaint about this. So let us get out of this mindset and better let us deal with other issues, or other issues that concern our two countries. The minorities are a concern of Bangladesh, and Bangladesh is taking care of them. 

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Sidhant Sibal: Border has also emerged as an important issue between the two countries. We know what has happened now, essentially, what is Bangladesh's view? Because there were comments suggesting that the agreement signed under the Hasina government can be relooked by Dhaka. Can you perhaps give a status update? What is the status of the Bangladeshi sides? 
Md. Touhid Hossain: As far as I am concerned, I have not come across any such proposal that the border agreement or the arrangements that we have agreed upon has to be changed. No, I haven't heard anything like that. The issue on the border is actually the BSF shooting and killing of civilians. This doesn't happen anywhere in the world. There are two friendly countries, there has been an issue that there are crimes at the border. Yes, there are crimes on every border in the world. That doesn't mean that they shoot people to kill. If anyone has broken the law, can be arrested, taken to court. The court, Indian court, what is to happen to them. But this is not done between friendly countries. That you shoot civilians on the border, even if they are committing any crime. Apart from that, the two border authorities are going to sit in a few days' time, and I'm sure that this mechanism has been working. It will work. They will just decide on how to manage the border. We want the border to be managed, and we are ready to help each other in this respect.

Sidhant Sibal: You are also engaging with other countries in the region. That is the right of every sovereign government. But talking about your relationship with Pakistan, it has substantially increased. What is the view? What are the content in the relationship, because in the previous government, the relationship was not as substantive when it comes to the current government in Dhaka and of course, Pakistan.
Md. Touhid Hossain: Well, let's look at it like this. During the last few years, Pakistan was singled out for the visa system. All countries of the world were similar, and Pakistan was different, that every visa, even of a 70-year-old gentleman or lady coming, many divided families coming to see their relatives in Dhaka, had to wait months and then clearances, one after the other for the visa. This is not normal. We just look at Pakistan as just as another country. So, we think that it should be dealt with in the way that we deal with other countries also. So these are the one or two small things that are happening, but the hue and cry being created in the media about Pakistan, relation with Pakistan, I don't think that there is any substance. We are going to just normalize relations with Pakistan at par with other countries. 

Sidhant Sibal: I am asking this also because of the India and Pakistan relationship. You know very well, India has its own concerns regarding cross border terror from Pakistan. Now, when it comes to the Bangladesh and Pakistan relationship, Do you think that it could negatively impact India's security? Can you assure that India's security will be as it was in the past? 
Md. Touhid Hossain: Well, I do not see any possibility that the relation with Pakistan, whatever improvements we make on issues where some deliberate efforts were being made to put it down or create hindrances. We just want to remove those. And I don't see any reason why Indian security should be jeopardized because of that, because we are not going to do anything that impacts the internal security of India, no, not at all.

Sidhant Sibal: So now talking about the Trump administration. What's your view about the Trump administration? We saw the visit of the Indian prime minister as well. We saw the Indian foreign secretary talking about India's concern, but not seeking your response on that, seeking your response on how do you envisage your relationship with the Trump administration in Washington?
Md. Touhid Hossain: Well, the Trump administration has just come into power, and then everyone has seen that a lot of changes are taking place in their policies, and we do not know exactly what they're going to do, but as far as we are concerned, we value the relation with the US. The US is the largest market of our export products. The US is also home to a very vibrant Bangladeshi diaspora community, and they send a substantial number of remittances to help our economy. So, these are areas in which we have very important relations with the US, and we will make all efforts to continue that. If there is any change in US policy, we'll of course try to adjust to that and ensure that the maximum benefits we can derive out of that relation,

Sidhant Sibal: Sir, we recently saw the demolition of the residents of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Dhaka. This is something that obviously was seen very negatively, especially in India, given the historic relationship between India and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman not seeking response on that but seeking a response on the demolition. What's your assessment, is Bangladesh trying to distance itself from its legacy, the legacy of the Liberation War?
Md. Touhid Hossain:  Surely not, actually it was, I would not justify this, but it happened sort of as a reaction to the incendiary statements of Sheikh Hasina, who is now living in India. I would like to see a situation in which, when she is staying in India, she keeps quiet and allows things to settle down, both for Bangladesh and for our relations. The demolition is purely an internal matter. I don't think India has any reason to be concerned about that. 

Sidhant Sibal: But will you rebuild the residence? Because this is part of your history. This is part of your legacy, the identity of Bangladesh.
Md. Touhid Hossain: I don't think the identity of Bangladesh relates to one building. Again, I'm not justifying the demolition again, I insist on that. But as I said that this is absolutely an internal matter, and then we'll deal with it as part of the law.

Sidhant Sibal: So, we know the India, Bangladesh relationship and Ramzan is coming. Usually when Ramzan comes, Bangladesh used to request for food commodities, any requests from the Bangladeshi side this time around,
Md. Touhid Hossain:  I don't think there is any special request needed. The export and imports are not a matter of request. It's the question of the business - people being interested. And their interest is, naturally, profit. So whenever and from wherever it will be profitable for the business - people in Bangladesh, they will import. And Indian exporters will export to Bangladesh if they find it to be profitable for them. 

Sidhant Sibal: My last question to you, it has been an extensive interview about the status of the Indian projects in Bangladesh. What is the status? How are they going about? There was a plan to connect northeast of India through Bangladeshi ports. Is it still continuing? Or is it still suspended?
Md. Touhid Hossain: Well, I don't know of any suspension of any such projects, but the thing is that this is an ongoing process. There will be projects and there will be decisions which will be taken in course of time, and things will go on. Bangladesh and India are very close neighbours, friendly neighbours. So, we will continue, and we will continue to pursue relations as it is found beneficial for both the countries. 

Sidhant Sibal: When can we see elections in Bangladesh?
Md. Touhid Hossain: I am not competent to actually say exactly when the elections will be held, because I do not know it as yet. But the point of the Bangladesh government is that the political change that took place, and the young generation, which brought about the change, have certain aspirations, they have certain views for their future. And then they want to ensure that they want some changes to take place in the political system, in the electoral system, and we are going for some, you know, changes like that. And we know that all the reforms cannot be done instantly in one day or one month, and we are not going to stay here for years and years to enact those but as I understand that the intention is to enact some of the reforms which are possible and then go for election. But in the meantime, we also want it's not the government, it's actually the young generation. They want that there should be some sort of a higher agreement among all the politicians that they are going to take care of their aspirations, the change they want.

Sidhant Sibal: A new political party?
Md. Touhid Hossain: I don't know.