Bangladesh-India relations in the recent years reached a new height. The two sides will have to exercise caution in making such comments that might hamper the relationship. Bangladesh on 3 July sent such a message to India in the wake of a recent controversial comment made by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Various diplomatic sources said that Foreign Secretary Mijarul Quayes on 4 July at a meeting with Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Rajeet Mitter, at his office here highlighted this stance of Bangladesh. Foreign Ministry sources said Rajeet Mitter was summoned to the ministry to join the 3 July meeting. The meeting lasted for about one-and-a-half hours.
Existing Diplomatic Practice
On the question whether Rajeet Mitter was summoned to the foreign ministry in the line of the existing diplomatic practice, the foreign secretary said that the 4 July meeting was pre-scheduled. Virtually this meeting was held to discuss the arrangements of India Foreign Minister S.M. Krishana’s visit to Dhaka. In reply to a query whether the statement of Dr Manmohan Singh came up for discussion during the talks, the foreign secretary neither confirmed the matter nor rejected.
When Rajeet Mitter was asked to comment about the meeting, he advised the newsmen to contact the foreign secretary in this regard. Diplomatic sources indicate that besides Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna, Home Minister P Chidambaram and Water Resources Minister Salman Khurshid will visit Dhaka in the next couple of months. Under the above circumstances, both the sides have remained vigilant to avoid any misunderstanding or complexity that might arise out of that comment of Manmohan Singh. Under this context, Bangladesh has expressed its concern to India.
Meanwhile, Indian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bishnu Parkah, in his twitter account (social communication network on the internet), said Rajeet Mitter met Mijarul Quayes on 4 July 2011 to discuss the preparations of S.M. Krishan’s upcoming visit to Dhaka. He commented that the reports published in the mass media about summoning Rajeet Mitter are imaginary. Indian news agency IANS reported this.
Meanwhile, diplomatic sources in Dhaka and New Delhi told this correspondent that the visit of Indian foreign minister will be not deferred due to the comment of Manmohan and shutdown in Dhaka. But some changes will be brought to the visit schedule. S.M. Krishana arrived in Dhaka on 6 July on a three-day visit.
No Need of Statement
Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Mijarul Quayes believes that there is no need of making any comment about the remark of Manmohan Singh following the statements of the Indian Foreign Ministry and Indian high commission in Dhaka. When asked comment on the media report that the Indian high commissioner was summoned to the foreign office in the wake of Manmohan’s comment, the foreign secretary said, “You ask the newspapers about the news item publishes. There is nothing to question me.”
Mijarul Quayes said: “It was a pre-scheduled meeting. The meeting virtually discussed the proposed visit of Indian foreign minister. His visit still remained unchanged. The meeting discussed possible change in the visit schedule. I hope we will be able to inform you about the matter in a day or two. The meeting also discussed the documents that will be signed during the visit of the minister.”
Bangladesh’s Political Landscape
When asked whether the recent comment of Indian Prime Minister that 25 percent people in Bangladesh have support for Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and this people are extremely anti-Indian and the political landscape of this country could be changed anytime came up for discussion during the meeting, the foreign secretary said: “I am not confirming or denying the matter. I have already told you that the meeting discussed the details of preparations of the Indian foreign minister’s visit.”
Asked about the comment of Manmohan about Bangladesh, uploaded on t he website of Indian Prime Minister’s office, Mijarul Quayes said “Has he told this? I have not received the official version you are speaking about. I have seen the statement of Indian foreign ministry and release of Indian high commission in Dhaka.”
On a question whether he is happy after seeing the two statements, the secretary said, “Not only satisfaction, after witnessing the two statements I find no reasons for giving any explanation in this regard.”
On 29 June 2011, during exchange of opinion with some Indian editors, Manmohan Singh said, “25 percent people in Bangladesh are supporters of the Jamaat-e-Islami and they are extremely anti-Indian. The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) on different occasions hatched various conspiracies centering them. And as a result, the political landscape of Bangladesh could change anytime. That news was released on the website of the office of the Prime Minister of India. But later it was withdrawn from the website following creation of debate in both India and Bangladesh. A spokesman of the Indian Foreign Ministry on 2 July said: “Manmohan made the comment ‘off the record’ and it was not his evaluation about Bangladesh.”
Various diplomatic sources said that Foreign Secretary Mijarul Quayes on 4 July at a meeting with Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Rajeet Mitter, at his office here highlighted this stance of Bangladesh. Foreign Ministry sources said Rajeet Mitter was summoned to the ministry to join the 3 July meeting. The meeting lasted for about one-and-a-half hours.
Existing Diplomatic Practice
On the question whether Rajeet Mitter was summoned to the foreign ministry in the line of the existing diplomatic practice, the foreign secretary said that the 4 July meeting was pre-scheduled. Virtually this meeting was held to discuss the arrangements of India Foreign Minister S.M. Krishana’s visit to Dhaka. In reply to a query whether the statement of Dr Manmohan Singh came up for discussion during the talks, the foreign secretary neither confirmed the matter nor rejected.
When Rajeet Mitter was asked to comment about the meeting, he advised the newsmen to contact the foreign secretary in this regard. Diplomatic sources indicate that besides Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna, Home Minister P Chidambaram and Water Resources Minister Salman Khurshid will visit Dhaka in the next couple of months. Under the above circumstances, both the sides have remained vigilant to avoid any misunderstanding or complexity that might arise out of that comment of Manmohan Singh. Under this context, Bangladesh has expressed its concern to India.
Meanwhile, Indian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bishnu Parkah, in his twitter account (social communication network on the internet), said Rajeet Mitter met Mijarul Quayes on 4 July 2011 to discuss the preparations of S.M. Krishan’s upcoming visit to Dhaka. He commented that the reports published in the mass media about summoning Rajeet Mitter are imaginary. Indian news agency IANS reported this.
Meanwhile, diplomatic sources in Dhaka and New Delhi told this correspondent that the visit of Indian foreign minister will be not deferred due to the comment of Manmohan and shutdown in Dhaka. But some changes will be brought to the visit schedule. S.M. Krishana arrived in Dhaka on 6 July on a three-day visit.
No Need of Statement
Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Mijarul Quayes believes that there is no need of making any comment about the remark of Manmohan Singh following the statements of the Indian Foreign Ministry and Indian high commission in Dhaka. When asked comment on the media report that the Indian high commissioner was summoned to the foreign office in the wake of Manmohan’s comment, the foreign secretary said, “You ask the newspapers about the news item publishes. There is nothing to question me.”
Mijarul Quayes said: “It was a pre-scheduled meeting. The meeting virtually discussed the proposed visit of Indian foreign minister. His visit still remained unchanged. The meeting discussed possible change in the visit schedule. I hope we will be able to inform you about the matter in a day or two. The meeting also discussed the documents that will be signed during the visit of the minister.”
Bangladesh’s Political Landscape
When asked whether the recent comment of Indian Prime Minister that 25 percent people in Bangladesh have support for Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and this people are extremely anti-Indian and the political landscape of this country could be changed anytime came up for discussion during the meeting, the foreign secretary said: “I am not confirming or denying the matter. I have already told you that the meeting discussed the details of preparations of the Indian foreign minister’s visit.”
Asked about the comment of Manmohan about Bangladesh, uploaded on t he website of Indian Prime Minister’s office, Mijarul Quayes said “Has he told this? I have not received the official version you are speaking about. I have seen the statement of Indian foreign ministry and release of Indian high commission in Dhaka.”
On a question whether he is happy after seeing the two statements, the secretary said, “Not only satisfaction, after witnessing the two statements I find no reasons for giving any explanation in this regard.”
On 29 June 2011, during exchange of opinion with some Indian editors, Manmohan Singh said, “25 percent people in Bangladesh are supporters of the Jamaat-e-Islami and they are extremely anti-Indian. The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) on different occasions hatched various conspiracies centering them. And as a result, the political landscape of Bangladesh could change anytime. That news was released on the website of the office of the Prime Minister of India. But later it was withdrawn from the website following creation of debate in both India and Bangladesh. A spokesman of the Indian Foreign Ministry on 2 July said: “Manmohan made the comment ‘off the record’ and it was not his evaluation about Bangladesh.”
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