UNB, Dhaka :
Accusing the previous Congress-led UPA government of maintaining ties with a particular party in Bangladesh, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia has said the relationship between New Delhi and Dhaka should address the interests of the people of the two countries and not “any particular party” or “any individual”.
“The people of Bangladesh sincerely desire good relations with India. This relationship should address the interests of the people of the two countries, not any particular political party or individual,” she said in an interview with the Indian Express on Sunday.
Khaleda, also a former Prime minister, however, said the new BJP-led government is different from the Congress-led one as this government’ s focus on building relations with people in neighbouring countries and not just with any particular political party. “It’s a significant change.”
The BNP chief also said it is not India but the Awami League government has failed to resolve outstanding bilateral issues.
Asked if she felt that the UPA government had not kept its promise to Bangladesh, she said, “That is the perception of the people of Bangladesh. “Actually, it is the failure, or a lack of will, of our government to protect the interests of the people of Bangladesh on the unresolved issues that turned out to be the bigger problem.”
Replying to a question on whether the UPA government’s links with the Awami League had augured badly for Bangladesh, she said, “Again, this is the perception here…I don’t want to hold anybody responsible but Awami League forced them to do this.
And the Indian government gave its support… Ershad talks about it even now, that he had not gone for the elections, that he was forced to go for it, that he had sent his withdrawal letter, that it was not accepted. So, the perception is that the Indian government played a role.”
About the Congress’s role during the general elections in Bangladesh, she said she did not know whether it played a role. “Many believe that [it did].”
Referring to then Indian foreign secretary Sujatha Singh’s visit to Bangladesh before January 5 election, Khaleda said the foreign secretary had publicly said that HM Ershad should participate, otherwise elections will not take place and the fundamentalists will come to power.
“Since the foreign secretary said such things… In fact, Ershad said later that the foreign secretary put pressure on him. And they [India] are the only ones to give recognition to the polls. Even the Commonwealth and the UN said that they don’t support a one-party election… There were no election observers, so they have not accepted that. And the people of this country have not accepted that. Therefore, it is an illegal government. The international community is asking them to have elections soon,” she said.
Khaleda also claimed that Sujatha had tried to convince them also, but could not. “We told her why we could not participate in the elections. We are a political party, not an underground outfit, but if elections are not fair, there is no point taking part.”
About 154 candidates elected unopposed in the January-5 polls, Khaleda said, “All the cabinet ministers have been elected unopposed. In Sheikh Hasina’s case, there was no contest, but they put up dummy candidates to show that there was a contest.”
Accusing the previous Congress-led UPA government of maintaining ties with a particular party in Bangladesh, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia has said the relationship between New Delhi and Dhaka should address the interests of the people of the two countries and not “any particular party” or “any individual”.
“The people of Bangladesh sincerely desire good relations with India. This relationship should address the interests of the people of the two countries, not any particular political party or individual,” she said in an interview with the Indian Express on Sunday.
Khaleda, also a former Prime minister, however, said the new BJP-led government is different from the Congress-led one as this government’ s focus on building relations with people in neighbouring countries and not just with any particular political party. “It’s a significant change.”
The BNP chief also said it is not India but the Awami League government has failed to resolve outstanding bilateral issues.
Asked if she felt that the UPA government had not kept its promise to Bangladesh, she said, “That is the perception of the people of Bangladesh. “Actually, it is the failure, or a lack of will, of our government to protect the interests of the people of Bangladesh on the unresolved issues that turned out to be the bigger problem.”
Replying to a question on whether the UPA government’s links with the Awami League had augured badly for Bangladesh, she said, “Again, this is the perception here…I don’t want to hold anybody responsible but Awami League forced them to do this.
And the Indian government gave its support… Ershad talks about it even now, that he had not gone for the elections, that he was forced to go for it, that he had sent his withdrawal letter, that it was not accepted. So, the perception is that the Indian government played a role.”
About the Congress’s role during the general elections in Bangladesh, she said she did not know whether it played a role. “Many believe that [it did].”
Referring to then Indian foreign secretary Sujatha Singh’s visit to Bangladesh before January 5 election, Khaleda said the foreign secretary had publicly said that HM Ershad should participate, otherwise elections will not take place and the fundamentalists will come to power.
“Since the foreign secretary said such things… In fact, Ershad said later that the foreign secretary put pressure on him. And they [India] are the only ones to give recognition to the polls. Even the Commonwealth and the UN said that they don’t support a one-party election… There were no election observers, so they have not accepted that. And the people of this country have not accepted that. Therefore, it is an illegal government. The international community is asking them to have elections soon,” she said.
Khaleda also claimed that Sujatha had tried to convince them also, but could not. “We told her why we could not participate in the elections. We are a political party, not an underground outfit, but if elections are not fair, there is no point taking part.”
About 154 candidates elected unopposed in the January-5 polls, Khaleda said, “All the cabinet ministers have been elected unopposed. In Sheikh Hasina’s case, there was no contest, but they put up dummy candidates to show that there was a contest.”
