Bangladesh Chief Advisor Dr Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday said his country wants good relations with India and other neighbouring countries and these relations should be based on “fairness and equality”.
In a televised address, Muhammad Yunus said that after taking oath as the head of the administration, many foreign leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Shahbaz Sharif, called him to congratulate him.
He said, “We want good relations with India and other neighbouring countries, but these relations should be based on fairness and equality.”
The 84-year-old Nobel laureate was sworn in as head of an interim government on August 8 after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India following massive protests against her dispensation.
Muhammad Yunus said that Bangladesh has started high-level bilateral cooperation talks with India to deal with the floods.
“I have also taken the initiative to revive SAARC to enhance regional cooperation in South Asia,” he said.
SAARC includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
“We want the world to recognise Bangladesh as a respectable democracy,” he said.
Muhammad Yunus said the interim government has taken steps towards forming six commissions to reform six key areas in Bangladesh, including the electoral system.
Other areas are police administration, judiciary, anti-corruption commission, public administration and the constitution.
Muhammad Yunus said the commissions are expected to start their work from October 1 and complete their task in the next three months.
Stressing that the main aim of the reforms is to ensure equal rights for all, he said, “We have a lot of work ahead of us. We want to move together towards the same goal. We want to create a framework that enables the hidden talents within us, especially our new generation, to express themselves without any hindrances with the support of the state and society.”
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