Bangladesh’s largest Islamist party urges India to avoid interference

The Jamaat-e-Islami leader suggested that it would have been preferable if Sheikh Hasina, after resigning amid unrest, had not fled to India.

• Vivek Mishra
• 29 August, 2024

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By: Vivek Mishra

Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh’s largest Islamist party’s leader Shafiqur Rahman stated that his party aims for harmonious and stable ties with India but said that New Delhi should reconsider its foreign policy to avoid interfering in the internal matters of neighbouring countries.

Rahman, the Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, mentioned in an interview with PTI that while his party supports close relations between India and Bangladesh, Bangladesh should also maintain strong and balanced relationships with other nations like the US, China, and Pakistan, leaving behind past conflicts.

Rahman, 65, expressed that the perception of Jamaat-e-Islami as anti-India is incorrect. “Jamaat-e-Islami is not against any country; it is a wrong perception. We are pro-Bangladesh and are solely interested in safeguarding the interests of Bangladesh,” he said, stressing the need for this perception to change.

The Jamaat-e-Islami leader suggested that it would have been preferable if former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, after resigning amid unrest, had not fled to India. He stated that she should return to Bangladesh to face the law. “India is our neighbour, and we want a good, stable, and harmonious bilateral relationship. However, India has done a few things in the past that did not sit well with the people of Bangladesh,” Rahman said.

He referred to the 2014 Bangladesh elections, where an Indian diplomat visited Dhaka and influenced who should participate in the election. Rahman noted that such actions were unacceptable and expressed hope that India would eventually reevaluate its foreign policy regarding Bangladesh. He reiterated that interference in each other’s internal issues should be avoided.

Rahman emphasised that Jamaat-e-Islami wants India to be a “friend” and to play a responsible role in bilateral relations. He acknowledged that his party has a responsibility to improve these ties, but they must remain free from interference. “Working together and interfering are two different things. Working together has a positive connotation, whereas interference is negative. Bilateral ties should mean cooperation and mutual respect. India is our closest neighbour; we share both land and sea borders, so we should have good ties as you cannot stay away from your neighbour,” he said.

Although Jamaat-e-Islami had contacts with the Indian establishment in the past, these interactions decreased during the Awami League’s rule over the last 16 years. Rahman expressed optimism that effective relationships with India could be re-established.

Responding to allegations of attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh by Jamaat activists, Rahman refuted these claims as “baseless.” He attributed the negative portrayal of Jamaat-e-Islami to a malicious media campaign, stating that despite suffering under the Sheikh Hasina government over the past 15 years, “we are still on the ground, and Jamaat still enjoys people’s support.”

Regarding relations with Pakistan, Rahman said, “We want good ties with them as well. We seek an equal and balanced relationship with all our neighbours in the subcontinent, including India, Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka. This balance is crucial to maintaining stability.” He also highlighted that Bangladesh, which was once East Pakistan, emerged as an independent nation following the Liberation War in 1971.

On global diplomatic ties, Rahman said, “We seek balanced and stable ties with world powers like the US and China, as in this globalised world, we are interconnected in various ways.”

Commenting on the recent flood situation in Bangladesh, Rahman stated that India should have provided prior information before releasing water. He clarified that while he does not blame India for the heavy rains, better communication could have helped manage the situation more effectively. His remarks follow reports from Dhaka attributing the floods in Bangladesh to India.

Monsoon rains have caused significant flooding in Bangladesh and upstream Indian regions, resulting in several deaths and affecting nearly three million people in Bangladesh. This situation presents a significant challenge to the newly installed interim government amid a political transition. India’s Ministry of External Affairs has described reports suggesting that the floods were caused by the opening of a dam on the Gumti River in Tripura as factually incorrect. The ministry stressed that floods in shared rivers are a “shared” problem that requires close mutual cooperation.

On the subject of Sheikh Hasina’s decision to flee to India, Rahman said, “It would have been better if she had not fled. I don’t want to use the term extradition, but we believe she should return and face the law in Bangladesh.” Hasina resigned as prime minister amid unprecedented anti-government protests and left for India on 5 August, sparking speculation in Bangladesh. The interim government in Bangladesh has since revoked the diplomatic passports of Hasina and her former Cabinet members.

Rahman stated that Jamaat-e-Islami will participate in the upcoming elections in Bangladesh. “We believe the interim government should be given time, but it should not be indefinite. We will clarify our position on the timing of fresh elections in due course. But whenever elections are held, we will participate,” he said.