Sheikh Hasina in India Will Not Affect Bilateral Relations, Says Bangladesh Interim Govt Adviser

New Delhi: The ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s stay in India will not affect bilateral relations and Dhaka will always try to maintain good relations with New Delhi, said Foreign Affairs Adviser to Bangladesh’s interim government Md Touhid Hossain on Monday.

When asked whether bilateral ties with India will be affected if Hasina continues to stay in India for long, he said, “This is a hypothetical question. If someone stays in a country why the relations with that particular country will be affected? There is no reason for that.”

Hasina fled to India last week and continues to stay in India as no other country including Britain have shown interest in providing asylum to her.

Hossain said – Bangladesh and India – have interests and they will follow those interests. We will “always try to maintain good relations” with India, he said.

Earlier, he briefed the diplomats stationed in Dhaka, including Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma, and said, “We believe that all our friends and partners in the international community would continue to stand by the interim government and our people as we embark on charting a new future for Bangladesh.”

During his first press briefing at the foreign ministry on Sunday, Hossain was asked about the possibility of bringing home Hasina. He replied that the matter falls under the jurisdiction of the law ministry.

“We intend to maintain smooth and positive relations with all … including India and China,” said Hossain, who earlier was a deputy high commissioner to India.