People have a perception that Bangladesh's interests were not protected in dealing with India during the previous government, Foreign Affairs Adviser Towhid Hossain said Sunday.
He made the remark in response to a question during a media briefing in the foreign ministry, adding that the present government will ensure good relations with India by protecting the country's interests.
"It is true that majority of people in the country have the perception that our interest was not protected during negotiations and dealings with India during the previous government," he said, adding that the present interim government will priorities interests of the country first.
"We want to ensure good ties with India, and at the same time, we want to achieve it in a manner so that people of the country consider India as good friend," the foreign adviser said, setting the tone of redefining the bilateral ties between the next-door neighbours.
There were good relations between the two governments, but good relations between the two peoples are also a priority, he noted.
The adviser said that the interim government's main job is to hold a neutral and credible election and transfer power to a democratically elected government.
But now the priority is to bring back stability in the country and to restore law and order, he noted, stating that after bringing stability the government can think about the tenure.
He said that the chief adviser will talk to the top level of the UAE very soon to resolve the problems of the expatriate Bangladeshi workers there as many of them were convicted recently for participating in protest programmes.
The foreign ministry is committed to providing better consular services to the Bangladeshi expatriates and all the missions across the world have already been instructed in this regard, the adviser said.
He said that the government is serious in ensuring protection of the minority communities. Some incidents took place in some areas and the government sought details.
Each case will be examined and necessary measures will be taken against the perpetrators, he said, mentioning that the chief adviser will sit with the leaders of the minority communities on Monday to devise next course of action so that such incidents do not take place.
Responding to a question he said that he had the confirmation regarding the resignation of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Asked about the allegation made by Hasina that she could not be ousted if she would agree to hand over St Martin Island to the US, the adviser said, "None will believe that the students who ousted the Hasina government will hand over St Martin to anybody".
Mr Hossain said that Bangladesh will continue to pursue its policy of maintaining good ties with all the countries without having a tilt to anyone, and it wants to have a "win-win relation" with all.
"None should think that this interim government has a bias to certain block… we will maintain 'balanced relations'".
He also hopes that the finance adviser will be able to streamline the economy within a couple of months.
A search committee is formed to find a new governor for the central bank.
He also assured that the students who are now engaged in traffic management would go back to classrooms when the traffic police would rejoin their duties.
He said that the interim government is totally committed to ensuring human rights and pointed out that in the past the country was rightly criticised by the international community for poor-human rights record.
mirmostafiz@yahoo.com