Diplomatic Correspondent

Amid intensified diplomatic tensions between the two neighbours, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Saturday said they expect to establish a good relationship with India accepting the reality in the context of the post-August 5 changed situation.

“We want to remain optimistic that we would be able to establish a good relationship with India making sure that bilateral interests are protected,” he said.

The Adviser was speaking at a roundtable titled “Bangladesh-India Relations: Expectations, Barriers and Future.”

The South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance (SIPG) and the Department of Political Science & Sociology (PSS), North South University hosted the event at the syndicate hall of NSU.

Hossain said Bangladesh had some concerns and there are still some concerns that remain unaddressed while the previous government tried to address the concerns of India.

He believes that India will proceed realising the changed situation but acknowledged that there are barriers which are normal in any relationship. “There is a change in the relations after August 5. This is reality.”

The panelists of the roundtable were Barrister Asaduzzaman Fuaad, joint member secretary, AB Party, Saquib Ali, former diplomat, Lt Gen (retd) Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman, former Principal Staff Officer, Armed Forces Division, Prof Dr Mohammad Abdur Rob, Vice-Chancellor, Manarat International University, and Dr SM Asaduzzaman Ripon, Vice Chairman, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

The roundtable was chaired by Prof Abdul Hannan Chowdhury, Vice-Chancellor, North South University, and moderated by Dr M Jashim Uddin, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science & Sociology (PSS), North South University.