India Thursday said it wants a positive and constructive relationship with Bangladesh and pitched for holding “inclusive, fair and free elections” in the country soon.
New Delhi’s comments came amid fresh protests in Dhaka by government employees and demands by various parties to hold elections by the end of this year.
There have been reports that Bangladesh’s interim government chief Muhammad Yunus has been trying to blame India for the fresh troubles in Dhaka.
“We want a positive and constructive relationship with Bangladesh, one that is anchored in meeting the aspirations of people of both sides,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. “Bangladesh needs to ascertain the will and mandate of people by holding inclusive, fair and free elections at an early date,” he said.
Asked about Yunus’s reported comments against India, Jaiswal said it is the responsibility of the government to address them. “When statements of this sort come, it seems like you want to deflect in another direction from your own challenges…”
