Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir, has said Bangladesh wants to build a cooperative and constructive relationship with India based on mutual respect, despite ongoing challenges between the two neighbours.
Speaking during a panel discussion on Saturday, he said Bangladesh remained committed to maintaining good working relations with India. “We want cooperation with India, but it must be based on mutual respect. We should have a good working relationship with India,” he said.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam and Prime Minister’s Adviser on Education Mahdi Amin also addressed the session, which was moderated by Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam.
Humaiun Kobir said it was a fundamental principle of diplomacy to maintain normal working relations with neighbouring countries and that the government intended to strengthen engagement with India. Referring to recent diplomatic exchanges, he noted that Bangladesh had already made a visit and expected reciprocal visits to Dhaka.
“You know, we’ve made a visit. We expect visits to Dhaka, and either way, we will build the visibility of a working relationship with India. We intend to do that. But the environment must be conducive to accommodating this approach,” he said.
The adviser acknowledged that the bilateral relationship faced difficulties and described a “tremendous deficit” that had accumulated over the past 15 years. “It was one way, and it was not done with the interests of the people of Bangladesh in mind,” he said.
Despite those concerns, he expressed optimism following the recent visit of Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman to New Delhi, which he also attended. He said the leadership of both countries appeared committed to moving forward and improving relations.
“We can do that. And it can be achievable. Of course, there are challenges. There are always challenges. When you have a terrorist who has fled from Bangladesh after killing one and a half thousand people and who, to date, has shown no remorse and is trying to destabilise the country from over there, of course, there are challenges,” he said.
He added that both sides needed to address existing obstacles and explore ways of working together. “So, the reset must realise that Sheikh Hasina does not exist in today’s Bangladesh politics,” he said.
The remarks came during the “Roadmap for Trade, Growth & Economic Diplomacy 2026” conference, organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA). The event brought together senior government officials, heads of diplomatic missions, development partners and private-sector representatives to discuss Bangladesh’s future economic engagement strategy.
The conference features three thematic sessions covering trade and investment policy; finance and investment mobilisation; and emerging sectors, including artificial intelligence, creative industries and sport.
According to the Foreign Ministry, the event is being held at a time of significant global transition, risk and uncertainty. It aims to strengthen coordination between policymaking and implementation, enhance Bangladesh’s economic diplomacy and deepen partnerships with the international community.
