Statements made by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from India's capital, Delhi, are hindering the friendly relations between the two neighboring countries. These comments are not conducive to improving relations. This message from the interim government was conveyed to the Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka today, Wednesday. Foreign Affairs Advisor Md. Touhid Hossain shared this information with reporters in response to their questions.

Earlier, Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma met with the Foreign Affairs Advisor for a courtesy visit, after which he spoke to the media. He stated that India wants to continue working with Bangladesh's interim government in the interests of both nations. The Indian High Commissioner also mentioned, "Today was just a courtesy meeting. There was no agenda." However, he refrained from commenting on former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's current stay in India.

Following the meeting, a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs mentioned that the Foreign Affairs Advisor emphasized Bangladesh's desire to work closely with India to strengthen bilateral relations. He stressed the importance of "people-centric engagement" moving forward, particularly in critical areas like halting border killings, finalizing the Teesta water-sharing agreement, and ensuring the supply of essential goods.

Advisor Touhid Hossain also noted that the Indian media is exaggerating the events in Bangladesh. Regarding former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's recent comments, he stated that such remarks from India are not helpful for improving bilateral relations.

The Foreign Affairs Advisor reiterated the interim government's commitment to ensuring peaceful coexistence among various communities, including minorities, in Bangladesh. He emphasized that the government is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all religious and ethnic groups and will not tolerate any violence or intimidation against them. He added that all religious groups and political parties are also working to ensure the protection of minorities.

When asked about the former Prime Minister's statements mentioned in the Foreign Ministry's press release, Touhid Hossain replied, "I mentioned this because such comments are not helpful for improving relations. I conveyed this to the High Commissioner because it is the government's position."

In response to whether the Indian High Commissioner provided any feedback, the Advisor said, "How could he respond to that? I don't think he can comment on this matter. It is not possible for an ambassador to answer this. Decisions have to come from the highest political levels. He will inform them."

When asked about the context in which the former Prime Minister's statements were discussed, Advisor Touhid Hossain said, "The statements made by the former Prime Minister are not providing comfort. We hope that she will refrain from making such comments from India."

On the issue of border killings, the Advisor said, "I told him there are problems, and they need to be resolved so that people feel better. This (border killing) is an issue we can definitely stop if we choose to."