Dhaka pursued a Bangladesh-centric foreign policy for the past year: Touhid Hossain
BSS Dhaka
Updated: 07 Aug 2025, 17: 02
Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain BSS
Bangladesh pursued a balanced and pragmatic foreign policy over the past year, prioritising national interest and reciprocity, maintaining constructive engagement with all major global and regional players, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain has said.
“As a whole, we believe that over the past year, we have tried to establish a balanced relationship with all countries, keeping Bangladesh’s interests at the forefront . . . how successful we have been will be judged by the people, by civil society,” the adviser told BSS in an exclusive interview recently.
The “balanced diplomacy”, he said, had been central to Bangladesh’s foreign policy success over the past year and continued to guide the interim government’s international strategy.
Hossain said the incumbent administration took a “Bangladesh-centric” approach, grounded in enlightened self-interest and added, “If we give something to India, I will expect that we will be able to get from India what we need, either in equal measure or even more”.
“This (approach) applies not only to India but to all countries,” he added.
Prof. Yunus image in diplomacy
The adviser said Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus’s international acceptability appeared as “one of the assets of this government” while his reputation often opened doors and influenced outcomes that might otherwise be difficult to achieve through conventional diplomatic channels.
He recalled that one phone call by Dr Yunus had helped secure the pardon of many Bangladeshis in the UAE prisons.
“It happened because Dr Yunus requested it … I consider this a significant asset for us, and we are using that,” Hossain said.
Hossain said that while the previous ousted Awami League regime had close ties with New Delhi, the current interim government is also pursuing to maintain a strong working relationship with India, though certain irritants remain.
He noted that Professor Yunus’ legacy as a Nobel Laureate and his lifelong work in poverty alleviation and social business continued to resonate globally, giving Bangladesh a unique diplomatic advantage.
“The respect he commands is not limited to political circles, it extends across governments, civil society, business leaders, and multilateral platforms,” Hossain said, adding that Bangladesh was using such “soft power” strategically in its foreign policy pursuits.
Relations with India
Hossain said that while the previous ousted Awami League regime had close ties with New Delhi, the current interim government is also pursuing to maintain a strong working relationship with India, though certain irritants remain.
“We have tried to create a certain kind of balance. . . we are trying, and we believe we will be able to build a balanced relationship based on good working relations, reciprocity, and mutual respect,” he said.
The adviser said despite recent challenges in bilateral relations like trade bottlenecks and unresolved land port issues, trade between Bangladesh and India remained ongoing.
Hossain, however, noted a noticeable decline in two specific trends -- cross-border shopping trips and travel to India for tourism and medical purposes.
He said “I don’t consider this a setback for Bangladesh,” as the fall in consumer travel had little impact on the economy.
As far medical tourism is concerned, the adviser said, previously the people used to travel to India for treatment while many of them now preferred alternative destinations like China and Thailand, particularly for specialised services which were yet to be available in Bangladesh.
Nowhere in the world are people shot dead at borders using lethal weapons. India comes up with various excuses at different times, but none of them are acceptable. We have repeatedly told India that this is unacceptable--Touhid Hossain, Foreign adviser.
“In the past, many went to India even for minor treatments, which was unnecessary,” he said.
Hossain added that with reduced travel to India, specialised hospitals in Bangladesh witnessed a rise in patient occupancy, a scenario which he described as a positive development for the country’s healthcare sector.
Stronger protest to border killing, push-in
The adviser said Bangladesh in recent months made louder its voice against the killings of its nationals on borders with India by their Border Security Force (BSF), issuing clear and unequivocal condemnations of such incidents.
He said over the past year, the protest notes sent to New Delhi over the killings were stronger than that of the previous regime, reflecting Dhaka’s firmer diplomatic stance.
Hossain said the government also urged India to prevent the recurrence of such “heinous acts,” and called for thorough investigations into all related incidents and demanded perpetrators to be identified and exposed to justice through appropriate legal measures.
“Nowhere in the world are people shot dead at borders using lethal weapons. India comes up with various excuses at different times, but none of them are acceptable. We have repeatedly told India that this is unacceptable,” he said.
The adviser added that Bangladesh would continue to protest border killing strongly.
Hossain said irregular “push-ins” across the border involving not just Bangladeshis but also Indian Bengali-speaking citizens raised concerns in Dhaka and “even the Chief Minister of West Bengal (of India) has expressed her disappointment over the issue.
Foreign affairs adviser Md Touhid Hossain speaks to the newspersons at the foreign ministry Prothom Alo file photo
“This proves that the method is not correct,” he said.
Touhid Hossain said Dhaka by now told India that “there is a mechanism in place” for the returning people and “we have been returning individuals following that mechanism”.
“It’s not like we are not doing our part, we are. But this kind of irregular push-in is not appropriate, and we want it to stop. We are also protesting this,” said the adviser.
Normalising relations with Pakistan
Hossain said Dhaka made efforts to normalise relations with Pakistan in the past year.
These efforts, he said, included increased diplomatic communication, economic cooperation, and even the removal of visa requirements for Pakistani citizens.
Some say we are tilting towards Pakistan. . . but we are certainly not tilting; what we are doing is trying to establish a normal relationship with Pakistan that will protect our interests---Touhid Hossain, Foreign adviser.
Hossain, however, dismissed speculations that Bangladesh was shifting its foreign policy stance in favour of Pakistan, asserting that the government’s recent engagements with Islamabad were aimed at normalising diplomatic ties in a way that could safeguard Bangladesh’s national interest.
“Some say we are tilting towards Pakistan. . . but we are certainly not tilting; what we are doing is trying to establish a normal relationship with Pakistan that will protect our interests,” he said.
According to the adviser such diplomatic efforts were part of broader efforts to maintain balanced foreign relations.
He explained that relations with Pakistan had been kept “intentionally on the back burner” during the last regime which was “unnecessary”.
Relations with China
The foreign adviser said bilateral partnership with Beijing remained stable and consistent during the eras of successive governments since the formal establishment of diplomatic ties in 1975.
“Many governments were changed in Bangladesh, but our relationship with China has never deteriorated,” he said, highlighting the deep-rooted nature of the bilateral engagement between Dhaka and Beijing.
Pakistan High Commissioner to Bangladesh Syed Ahmed Maroof paid a courtesy call on foreign adviser Md. Touhid Hossain on 10 September 2024BSS
The foreign adviser dismissed concerns raised in some quarters about Bangladesh growing “too close” to China, stating that Dhaka’s engagement with Beijing was anchored in its national interest.
“Our relationship with China is in our own interests. . . and certainly, China also has its interests,” he said, adding that the cooperation between the two countries was not one-sided, but rather based on mutual benefits and shared priorities.
“We are taking an even-handed approach,” he said, indicating that Bangladesh’s engagement with China did not come at the expense of relations with any other country.
To be continued........................
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