Bangladesh Information Minister Hassan Mahmood, who is visiting India, has made a big statement saying that India has an important role in ensuring regional stability. It is essential for prosperity and political stability.
Image Credit source: PTI
Bangladesh Information Minister Hassan Mahmood has said that India has an important role to play in ensuring regional stability. Bangladesh necessary for its prosperity and political stability. He also said that the relations between the two countries are not only related to the issue of sharing the water of Teesta river. Mahmood made these remarks during an interaction with journalists at the Press Club of India. This is also important because general elections are expected in Bangladesh by December 2023. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League party is eyeing a fourth term in the government.
Mehmood is a senior minister in Hasina’s government, as well as a top leader of the Awami League. He recalled India’s role in his country’s liberation struggle in 1971 and said that Bangladesh’s progress would never be possible without India’s political and full support.
He said that political stability in a country is most essential for prosperity. I firmly believe that regional stability is also important for maintaining political stability in Bangladesh. I will say my thanks to India. India has played a role in maintaining regional stability and thus political stability in Bangladesh.
Relationship not dependent on Teesta pact: Minister
Responding to a question on the long-pending issue between the two countries over sharing of Teesta river water, Mahmood said that bilateral relations do not depend on this issue alone. The relations between India and Bangladesh are very diverse, it does not depend solely on the Teesta water sharing. We are sharing many things. Bangladesh and India are engaged in resolving the issue and progress has been made, although there are certain obligations and procedures under the Constitution of India. He said that I hope that after following all the procedures, it will be resolved in future.
Bangladesh government committed to protect Hindus: Mahmood
Earlier, Hassan Mahmood said on October 29 that the Sheikh Hasina government was committed to the protection and interest of the Hindu minorities. He said that the peaceful celebrations organized on Durga Puja this year in the country are proof of this. This year 33 thousand puja pandals were organized which is 700 more than the year 2021. Referring to the communal violence in Bangladesh during Durga Puja in 2021, he said the government was extra cautious this year to avoid untoward incidents.
Mamta objected to Teesta agreement
Significantly, the Teesta river water sharing agreement has been in limbo for more than a decade due to opposition from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. India and Bangladesh had agreed to an agreement on Teesta water sharing during the visit of then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Dhaka in 2011, but Banerjee refused to accept it, citing water scarcity in the state.
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