‘Communal’ Jamaat-e-Islami not an internal issue of Bangladesh, says India

India insists the “communal” politics of Jamaat-e-Islami which sided with Pakistan in 1971 is not an internal issue of Bangladesh and that the “ideological battle has not been fully resolved yet”.

“That is why today you have a situation where you are either for Bangladesh or anti-Bangladesh,” said an Indian diplomat ahead of the general elections in Bangladesh.

“We were directly involved in 1971. Our people shed blood. So we cannot just say it does not matter. It’s not an internal issue (of Bangladesh). It’s a fundamental issue that we cannot compromise.”

“This is the party (Jamaat) that has opposed the liberation of Bangladesh. They represent those who collaborated with the government of Pakistan. They represent those who oppose the very fundamental interest of Bangladesh,” the diplomat who cannot be named in media told bdnews24.com.

Indian High Commission in Dhaka Harsh Vardhan Shringla like other diplomats is meeting political parties and their leaders ahead of the Dec 30 elections.

The Jamaat-e-Islami, which was against Bangladesh’s birth in 1971, has lost its registration to run as a political party and contest in elections.

But its leaders are seen active with their ally BNP. Some of them are also going to contest in the elections with the BNP symbol ‘paddy sheaf’.

Asked about India’s position, the diplomat, who has knowledge about Bangladesh and India’s policy regarding the country, said who is allying with whom is internal in nature.

“You are secular but work hand in hand with Jamaat. This is contradiction. But that’s not for us to judge. It is the people of Bangladesh who will decide. Our position is consistent that we cannot compromise with fundamental forces.”

“Let them change their constitution first. They even don’t recognise the constitution of Bangladesh. They oppose the independence of Bangladesh," he continued.

“Indian troops came here to Bangladesh and fought and shed their blood. We were directly involved in 1971. Many of our people have died and shed their blood on the soil of Bangladesh. So it’s not a small thing for us.

“The whole idea was to ensure that you are liberated. This is your country. But we cannot compromise with those who fought against the ideology. They believe in caliphate, not in democracy," added the diplomat.

The India-Bangladesh relations are termed “far beyond the strategic level” by the two prime ministers – Narendra Modi and Sheikh Hasina.

The two countries in the last three years signed a record number of 92 agreements touching almost all areas of cooperation from high-tech to space technology.

Modi has written to Hasina at least 24 letters on different occasions and both of them jointly inaugurated at least 19 development projects through video-conferencing.

India has also extended $8 billion line of credit for Bangladesh’s development projects.

“We want this momentum of cooperation continues,” the Indian diplomat said.

“For us Bangladesh, as our external affairs minister made it clear, is the top priority country when it comes to 'neighbourhood first' policy of our prime minister. We want a stable and peaceful Bangladesh which is good for both of us.

“Any instability in Bangladesh will trigger instability in India. Our relation is not zero-sum game,” explained the diplomat.