Dhaka: Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain today emphasized Bangladesh's stance in favor of a peaceful resolution to the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan over Kashmir. He highlighted the importance of dialogue and diplomacy as the primary means to ensure peace and stability across the South Asian region, speaking to reporters at the foreign ministry.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Hossain stated that while India and Pakistan have historically had conflict-prone relations, Bangladesh is keen on avoiding any major confrontation that could threaten the safety and well-being of people in the region. He reassured that Bangladesh maintains strong bilateral ties with both countries and expressed hope that India and Pakistan would resolve their differences through dialogue and consultation. He mentioned that several countries have already proposed mediation.
Hossain addressed inquiries about Bangladesh potentially offering mediation, similar to Iran and Saudi Arabia, stating that it is not appropriate for Bangladesh to assume a mediatory role at this stage. However, he mentioned that if India and Pakistan specifically request Bangladesh's assistance, the country would consider it. Until such a request is made, Bangladesh will refrain from initiating any mediation efforts independently.
Discussing the potential impact of India-Pakistan tensions on Bangladesh, Hossain acknowledged that regional developments in today's interconnected world can influence all countries to some extent. In response to questions about increased security measures along the Bangladesh-India border, Hossain clarified that such matters fall under the jurisdiction of security agencies and he had no information regarding any additional deployments or special security arrangements at present.
Additionally, it was reported by Indian media that both Iran and Saudi Arabia have separately offered to mediate between New Delhi and Islamabad to help ease the situation.