Featured Foreign Minister Momen: Bangladesh tied to India by blood, to China by economy

[Black_cats]

Bangladesh's Relations With India, China Stand on Different Perspectives: Foreign Minister Momen

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said Bangladesh' ties with India are historic; a blood relation while economic issues mainly shaped ties with China.

UPDATED ON: AUGUST 8, 2020, 9:02 PM IST
PTI
File photo of Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen. (Image : Facebook)

Bangladesh's ties with India and China should not be compared as they stand on different perspectives, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said on Saturday, describing Dhaka's relationship with New Delhi as "historic" and "rock-solid" which cannot be hindered by anything.

Momen's remarks came after he visited a memorial complex at western Meherpur bordering India to pay tributes to the 1971 Liberation War martyrs.

We must not compare the relationships from an identical standpoint," he told newsmen.

Our ties with India are historic...rock-solid; it is a blood relation while economic issues mainly shaped our relations with China, Momen said.


Our victory is India's victory. Our development is India's development...nothing can hinder this (Bangladesh-India) relation.

The minister's comments came in response to questions about Dhaka's ties with New Delhi and Beijing against the backdrop of border tensions between Bangladesh's two giant neighbours.

Momen called the current Dhaka-New Delhi relations tremendously good and said the two countries were set to celebrate jointly next year Bangladesh's 50th anniversary of Independence.

He said Bangladesh and India resolved major bilateral matters like land and maritime boundaries and security issues amicably while attaining progress on water sharing.

"There are, however, some pending issues....we will resolve them (as well)," Momen said.

He declined to comment on the ongoing New Delhi-Beijing tensions, saying this is their headache, nothing to do with us.

Momen said Bangladesh preferred to focus on its own development maintaining ties with both the countries.

They are big trading partners of ours, he said adding Bangladesh wants to reap benefits of trade ties with both India and China.

Asked for comments about the fate of the proposed trial of Chinese vaccines in Bangladesh, Momen said many countries in the world were working in collaboration to get access to a COVID-19 vaccine.

"India and Pakistan also went for collaboration with others (regarding vaccine trials). We (Bangladesh) are yet to go for collaboration. (But) We should go for it (vaccine collaboration) as well," he said.

He said Dhaka already contributed to a European Union fund so that Bangladesh can get a possible COVID-19 vaccine smoothly.

Momen visited Meherpur, where the oath of office of the first Bangladeshi government was administered on April 17, 1971, when Nazrul Islam was appointed as the acting president and Tajuddin Ahmed as the prime minister.

Bangladesh's founder Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was declared president in the swearing-in ceremony in absentia as he was in Pakistan's captivity after its troops' clampdown on unarmed Bengalis on March 25, 1971.

www.news18.com/amp/news/world/bangladeshs-relations-with-india-china-stand-on-different-perspectives-foreign-minister-momen-2770073.html

 

[cloud4000]

Bangladesh is playing India off China, which is the smart move. Get the best deal.

 

[FOOLS_NIGHTMARE]

Bangladesh is playing India off China, which is the smart move. Get the best deal.

In the end India is going to get dumped because China has the better deal.

 

[Easy When]

All India is offering Bangladesh is a constant reminder of 1971.

 

[Black_cats]

FM: Bangladesh tied to India by blood, to China by economy
Ashraful Islam, Meherpur

• Published at 03:44 pm August 8th, 2020

Foreign minister and his wife placing a wreath at Mujibnagar Mukhtijuddha Memorial Complex on Saturday, August 8, 2020Dhaka Tribune

Both India and China are Bangladesh's big trading partners

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Saturday said Bangladesh shares blood ties with India and economic ties with China, but they should not be compared as Bangladesh emphasizes on developing through cooperation and collaboration.

"Bangladesh's relations with India is rock-solid and historic while Bangladesh has economic ties with China. We must not compare," he said emphasizing on joint efforts.

Dr Momen made the remarks after visiting Mujibnagar Muktijoddha Memorial Complex where he paid tributes placing wreaths.

The foreign minister's wife Selina Momen, among others, was present.

Regarding the India-China conflict, the foreign minister said it has nothing to do with Bangladesh and will not affect its relation with the two countries.

Bangladesh is focusing on its own development, said Dr Momen, adding both India and China are Bangladesh's big trading partners and Bangladesh wants more trade benefits from India.

About celebrating Bangladesh's 50 years of independence and India's role in achieving that independence, he said: "Our victory means India's victory. Our development means India's development."

Describing Dhaka-Delhi relations as very strong, he also said that nothing can create problems in the growing relations.

“Recently, China has given permission to bring almost 8,000 products without taxes, which is a big achievement for us,” he said, adding that this will not affect the country's relation with India.

Unresolved Issues

The foreign minister said Bangladesh and India resolved major bilateral issues, achieved progress on water sharing issues and other pending issues will also be resolved.

"There are some issues. We will resolve those. Keep faith in us," he said.

Asked about trials of the coronavirus vaccine in Bangladesh, the foreign minister said many countries like India and Pakistan went for collaboration.

"We didn't go for collaboration yet. It's regrettable. We should also go for collaboration," Dr Momen said.

He said a Chinese company is developing a collaboration with the icddr,b which is an institution of 28 countries.

"We have nothing to do with it. Some are trying to make it a political issue. This is purely research," Dr Momen said the government will think of it.

The foreign minister suggested talking to the Health Ministry for details.

He said the government has contributed to the European Union so that Bangladesh gets the vaccine smoothly.

Dr Momen said the vaccine should be distributed in an indiscriminate way and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said it must be made sure that no one is left behind.

Bangabandhu's Killers

The foreign minister reiterated that the government is working to bring back the convicted killers of Bangabandhu, to execute them to implement the court verdict.

"It's our hope," he said adding that one of the killers was executed recently.

The fugitives are - col (dismissed) Khandaker Abdur Rashid, lt col (relieved) Shariful Haque Dalim, maj (retd) Noor Chowdhury, maj (retd) Rashed Chowdhury and Risaldar Moslehuddin Khan. Capt Abdul Majed was hanged recently.

The foreign minister also sought support from Bangladeshi expatriates living in different countries alongside the government’s initiative to bring back the remaining five fugitive convicted killers of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and execute the verdict.

One of them is in the United States while another one in Canada, he said.

On November 19, 2009, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court upheld the death penalty of 12 convicted former army officials for the assassination of Bangabandhu and his family members.

Of the fugitives, the government knew the whereabouts of Noor Chowdhury, Rashed Chowdhury and Moslehuddin while it was not sure about the other two fugitives -- Rashid and Dalim.

https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangla...tions-with-delhi-beijing-must-not-be-compared

 

[Homo Sapiens]

The minister's comments came in response to questions about Dhaka's ties with New Delhi and Beijing against the backdrop of border tensions between Bangladesh's two giant neighbours.
www.news18.com/amp/news/world/bangladeshs-relations-with-india-china-stand-on-different-perspectives-foreign-minister-momen-2770073.html

Indian journalists should give him some respite ! He is forced to blabber same things again and again! Why Indians are this much insecure?

 

[idune]

Are Momen, Hasina and awami league cheer leadrs bloodline from india? No wonder awami league leading the indian slavery till death. Not all Bangladeshis bloodline are from india though.

 

[Michael Corleone]

Blood ties doesn’t put food on the table, economic ties does

 

[Michael Corleone]

Are Momen, Hasina and awami league bloodline from india? No wonder awami league leading the indian slavery till death. Not all Bangladeshis bloodline are from india though.

Where does your bloodline come from? British?

 

[Longhorn]

There is only so far anyone can take this policy.
Eventually we all have to pick a side.

 

[Imran Khan]

Married couple

 

[Longhorn]

Married couple

Yes, but the wife is making eyes at the more handsome boys in the neighbourhood.

 

[Jobless Jack]

Poor fool

Things he has to say to keep his chair

no self respect. Shame sad and shame

 

[vishwambhar]

Yes, but the wife is making eyes at the more handsome boys in the neighbourhood.

Don't worry wife knows the punishment for adultery..... an honor killing by husband

 

[Longhorn]

Don't worry wife knows the punishment for adultery..... an honor killing by husband

Husband is a khusra, so she has look elsewhere