Md. Touhid Hossain, the Advisor on Foreign Affairs, today called the recent statement by India’s Foreign Secretary “completely unreasonable,” asserting that the upcoming national election is strictly an internal matter for Bangladesh.
“I don’t consider that statement to be their concern; the national election is entirely Bangladesh’s internal affair, and such comments are totally unreasonable,” Touhid Hossain told reporters during a briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday.
The Indian Foreign Secretary had recently stated that regardless of which party forms the government in Bangladesh after the next national election, India would maintain relations if the polls were free, fair, transparent, internationally recognized, and participatory.
Internal Affairs and Diplomatic Engagements
During the briefing, the advisor addressed a range of contemporary issues, including an alleged letter from the President, military cooperation with Turkey, and visa complications abroad.
When questioned about a letter reportedly sent by the President, Touhid Hossain confirmed receiving it but declined to elaborate. “He has only expressed his feelings; I don’t want to say anything more on this,” he stated, noting that the letter reached him well after it was published on social media.
He explicitly denied claims that any law or government directive had been issued to remove the President’s picture from foreign missions.
Responding to queries about the meeting of three foreign ambassadors at the residence of a former Awami League government minister, Touhid Hossain commented that it is not a crime for diplomats to visit a private residence. “Diplomats can generally visit anyone’s home. However, the subject and potential outcome of that meeting are naturally drawing attention,” he acknowledged.
Military Cooperation and Foreign Complications
On the subject of potential military cooperation with Turkey, Touhid Hossain described it as a normal part of bilateral engagement between two friendly nations. “Turkey has significant military technology. We already have military cooperation with many countries, and it should be further expanded. This is a completely normal matter,” he said.
The advisor also issued a cautious response to reports of Bangladeshis being killed in anti-terrorism operations in Pakistan, warning that such incidents could be isolated. He stressed that Bangladesh is not involved in any conflicts, and the government absolutely does not want its citizens to be involved in any foreign operations.
Visa Challenges and Image Concerns
Addressing visa-related complications, Touhid Hossain informed that obtaining visas has become difficult for Bangladeshi students and workers in certain countries. The government is in regular contact with the respective foreign authorities on this issue. He noted that the demand for education visas is extremely high. For instance, approximately 80,000 Bangladeshi students applied to German universities, but they can process only about 2,000 applications annually.
Touhid Hossain disclosed that Bangladesh has requested the German government to increase the student quota to at least 9,000, which is currently the quota for Pakistan. The government is also exploring ways to simplify the visa process through alternative embassies to mitigate backlogs and service shortages.
However, he conceded that Bangladesh’s image has suffered due to fake documents and irregular migration, which is now creating problems even for genuine applicants. “We must first fix the internal flaws within ourselves,” he concluded. (BSS)
