Momen's India remarks have no link with AL: Quader

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Friday said the Awami League has never requested India to provide the party with support to stay in power, reports UNB.

"The Awami League has never requested India to provide support to us to stay in power and no one has been given responsibility by Sheikh Hasina to say it. This may be one's personal opinion," he said.

He said this after inaugurating the central Janmashtami procession at Plassey intersection in the capital on Friday.

He commented that Bangladesh has no hostile relationship with India, and the country had been harmed by its hostility with India in the past.

He also said that there were no communal attacks except for a few isolated incidents after Hasina's government came to power.

Those who attacked the Hindu community were miscreants, he added.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on Friday said he told the Indian government that Bangladesh would be happy if India helps Bangladesh in maintaining stability, noting that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina wants stability and communal harmony in the country.

"So, stability is the most important. We want stability in this region, too. We don't want any instability. If we can do this, it will be meaningful in this Golden Chapter of our relations," he told reporters explaining what he wanted to say in Chattogram at a programme on Thursday night.

Earlier, he offered munajat and paid homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Mausoleum of Bangabandhu in Tungipara.

Momen said he conveyed that there are some wicked people in both countries - Bangladesh and India - who make instigative remarks and they instigate to turn minor things into big ones.

"Both the governments have a responsibility to stop this. If we can do that, there will be communal harmony and there will be no uncertainty," he said.

Responding to a question, Momen said Bangladesh is witnessing development amid communal harmony as Hasina is there (in power).

"It's good for everyone if a non-communal social system gets established. In Bangladesh, all the citizens have equal rights," he added.

Momen said Bangladesh gets stability when PM Hasina remains there ( in power) and the development journey remains uninterrupted when there is stability.

The foreign minister said he referred to what the Assam Chief Minister told him and that he conveyed it exactly to the Indian government.

"Going India, I said your Assam Chief Minister thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her zero tolerance policy and her announcement that Bangladesh cannot be a hub for terrorists," Momen said.

He said there are no terrorist activities in Assam and surrounding areas and they are seeing growing development with increased investment in Assam and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's efforts were credited.

"I conveyed to the Indian government that your chief minister said there is stability as Sheikh Hasina is there. It benefits both sides," Momen said.

On Thursday, Momen said he requested the Indian government to do whatever necessary to help Bangladesh maintain stability and harmony.

"When I went to India, I told the Indian government that Sheikh Hasina must be sustained. Bangladesh will continue to march towards development and will truly become a country free of communalism under her leadership," he said.

Speaking as the chief guest at a Janmashtami programme, one of the biggest festivals in the Hindu calendar, in Chattogram, Momen also said, "If someone takes the country to the path of instability to shake Sheikh Hasina's government, then it is a danger for everyone. We want stability."

The foreign minister said they told the Indian government that the two countries will work in such a way that neither side promotes instigative behaviors to maintain law and order and stability.

"If we can do that, it's good for both Bangladesh and India," Momen said, adding that India does not need to face extra expenditure in its border areas as Sheikh Hasina is there in power.

He said thousands of people from Bangladesh visit India every year and many Indians work in Bangladesh as there is development in Bangladesh. "This has been possible as the two countries are going through a Golden Chapter."

For that reason, Momen said he requested the Indian government to continue supporting Sheikh Hasina so that peace and stability bring benefits for the two countries.

He said there are some wicked people and fundamentalists who create noise though the government remains silent.