August 4, 2023
DHAKA – India today expressed hope that the next national elections in Bangladesh would be held peacefully, but declined to comment on the issue of holding it under a caretaker government.
Asked about how India sees other countries’ comments on Bangladesh’s upcoming polls, Arindam Bagchi, spokesman of India’s Ministry of External Affairs, said the people of Bangladesh will decide how elections would be held there.
“Look, I think there are multiple activities going on [in Bangladesh], people are perhaps commenting on it,” he said during the weekly media briefing in New Delhi yesterday, referring to the comments made by some diplomats regarding the national polls in Bangladesh.
“The whole world may be commenting on it, but India is India and we have a very special relationship with Bangladesh. What happens in Bangladesh, impacts us, Bagchi said, adding the election and the democratic process in Bangladesh have to be decided by the people there.
He said, “Of course, we are closely monitoring [the situation in Bangladesh]. We have a High Commission there…..We hope that there is peace and no violence and the elections are held as per plans.”
“On the issue of caretaker government and all, I certainly don’t have any comment on it,” the MEA spokesman said.
This was the first time India officially commented on the developments in Bangladesh in the run-up to the elections.