Bangladesh should focus on solving its governance issues instead of deflecting attention: MEA

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. File | Photo Credit: ANI

India on Thursday (May 29, 2025) reminded Dhaka that the “responsibility for law and order and governance” of Bangladesh lies with the interim government of the country, with the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal warning that attempts to “deflect attention” would not solve the country’s problems.

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His remarks came days after Bangladesh Chief Adviser Mohammed Yunus told a group of political parties that India’s “hegemony” was “destabilising” Bangladesh.

“As far as the government there is concerned, the responsibility for law and order and governance issues lies entirely with that government,” Mr. Jaiswal said. “In such a situation, if someone says that external factors or someone else is to blame for the disturbances, it appears that they are trying to deflect attention from the real issue and shift the blame onto others. Such statements do not solve the problem — they seem like an attempt to avoid accountability,” he added.

Parties demand early election

Prof. Yunus’s comments were made during a two-day consultation that he hosted at his official residence last weekend, where he met a large number of representatives from political parties who are demanding an early election. According to Mahmudur Rahman Manna, president of a newly-formed party called Nagorik Oikya, Prof. Yunus referred to India during their meeting.

“The Chief Adviser said that the country is in a major crisis due to Indian hegemony. He believes that the entire nation needs to remain united in response,” Mr. Manna told journalists outside Prof. Yunus’s official residence Jomuna.

‘Humanitarian corridor’

The consultation with political parties was called after Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman held a meeting with his commanding officers where he criticised the administration led by Prof. Yunus, and demanded that a national election be held by December, so that a new elected government can take charge on January 1, 2026.

One of the issues that General Zaman raised is the so-called “humanitarian corridor” that the Yunus administration is working on to connect Myanmar’s conflict-torn Rakhine province with Bangladesh’s Chittagong.

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Mr. Jaiswal said that India wishes to have a “positive and constructive relationship” with the interim government of Bangladesh and observed that India is closely watching the developments related to the “humanitarian corridor” project.

Published - May 29, 2025 10:50 pm IST