New york: Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman has stated that if his party comes to power, the relationship with India will be governed by mutual respect. "People may change their place, but they cannot change their neighbours. We aim to respect our neighbours and expect the same in return," he said.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Dr. Rahman made these remarks during a view-exchange meeting in New York on Wednesday evening (US local time), marking the first day of his week-long visit to the United States. He addressed questions regarding the future of Bangladesh-India relations, acknowledging India's vast size, wealth, and manpower. "India is 26 times larger than Bangladesh. We respect them considering their position. However, they must also respect our small territory and the existence of about 18 crore people. This is our demand. If mutual respect prevails, the two neighbours will not only enjoy better relations but also gain recognition on the world stage," Dr. Rahman explained.
Dr. Rahman also discussed the importance of ensuring the rights of people of different religions, citing their actions over the past one and a half years as evidence of their stance. He noted that over the last 54 years, people of various religions, including Muslims, have migrated from Bangladesh. "We oppose forcibly closing any institutions or expelling anyone from the country," he affirmed.
Rejecting the majority-minority narrative, Dr. Rahman stated, "We say, we need unity." He emphasized that focusing on majority and minority creates divisions and pits one group against another, adding, "We have witnessed the horrors of this for 54 years and do not want it to happen again." He elaborated that their aim is to re-establish the tradition of living together, built over generations through culture, heritage, and civilization. "Insha Allah, we will remove the few black spots that have emerged so the nation is no longer divided by party or religion," he declared.
Regarding property rights, Dr. Rahman stated, "If evidence shows someone has illegally occupied another's property in the last 54 years, we support returning it. This is our position." The meeting was attended by Bangladeshi journalists based in New York.