Bangladesh Nationalist Party acting chair Tarique Rahman said that future relations between Bangladesh and India must be based on mutual respect and national interest.
鈥業f the BNP forms the next government, its foreign policy will be firmly guided by the principle of 鈥淏angladesh first鈥�,鈥橳arique said.
He also said that the new future BNP government聽 would ensure that the country鈥檚 sovereignty and the welfare of its people would remain paramount in every diplomatic decision.
In an interview with the BBC Bangla broadcast on Tuesday, Tarique also said that Bangladesh鈥檚 own interests would always take precedence over those of any other country.
He underscored that Bangladesh must receive its fair share of cross-border river waters 鈥� a long-standing issue in Indo鈥揃angladesh relations 鈥� and condemned incidents such as the killing of Felani Khatun at the border.
鈥極f course, I want our fair share of water. And I never want to see another Felani hanging at the border. We will not accept that. I want what is fair and just for my country and my people,鈥� Tarique said.
Asked whether a BNP-led government would seek to restore relations with India amid what many describe the ties with that country as becoming cold since the ouster of the Awami League government on聽 August 5, Tarique said that any change would depend on India鈥檚 approach.
As India, he said, chose to support an autocrat and thus alienated the people of Bangladesh, the BNP would have little room to act differently since the people themselves have decided to keep the relationship distant.
In such a situation, he said, he would have to stand with the people of his country.
Tarique has been living in the United Kingdom for the past 17 years, having left Bangladesh on September 11, 2008, for medical treatment after enduring torture during the 2007鈥�2008 military-backed interim administration.
During the interview, Tarique also discussed the BNP鈥檚 position on constitutional and institutional reforms.
He stressed that genuine democracy must provide space for dissent and plural opinions.
He explained that while the BNP supported reforms intended to strengthen governance and mend the state, it would reject any notion of democracy that demanded unanimity of thoughts.
He said that if the BNP expressed dissent on certain issues, it should not be perceived as a problem, since democracy by definition allows for differing views.
Dissent is a vital part of democracy, he said. 鈥業f I think something is wrong, I will say it is wrong. That is not 鈥渉iding and seeking鈥� 鈥� that is the essence of democracy,鈥� Tarique said.
Asked about the BNP鈥檚 31-point reform proposals 鈥� which include balancing powers between the president and the prime minister 鈥� he said that the party鈥檚 position remained consistent.
If the concentration of power into the hands of a single individual paves the way for autocracy, Tarique argued that the quality of governance ultimately depended more on the integrity and intentions of the person in office than on legal arrangements alone.
Tarique said that neither a two-thirds parliamentary majority nor institutional restructuring can guarantee democratic practices in the absence of ethical and accountable leadership.
About the interim government鈥檚 performance, he said that the BNP wished to see it succeed in fulfilling its mandate.
He said, 鈥榃e have always said that we want this interim government to be successful. There are two main issues 鈥� necessary reforms and a free, fair, and credible election. The current government鈥檚 main goal should be to conduct such an election alongside implementing essential reforms.鈥�
Tarique said that the nature of the BNP鈥檚 relationship with the interim government 鈥� whether warm or distant 鈥� would depend on how effectively it delivered on its commitments.
As long as the interim administration remains steadfast in its words and actions, public doubts about its intentions would continue to fade, the BNP leader commented.
Reflecting on the interim government鈥檚 performance over the past year, Tarique observed that, although it was a temporary administration with inherent limitations, it had made sincere efforts.
He said that running a country like Bangladesh -- over two and a half times large the United Kingdom in terms of population -- was no small task.
He said that governing such a populous country naturally required a strong political government with public mandate, believing that the interim administration had tried to perform within its constraints.
By contrast, Tarique labelled the 2007鈥�08 caretaker administration as a government driven by dishonest motives.
He accused that administration of attempting to depoliticise Bangladesh and undermine its democratic foundations.
Discussing the BNP鈥檚 evolution and future vision, Tarique said that the party鈥檚 core objective continued to be welfare of the nation and its sovereignty.
Tarique said that the party had learned from past experiences and that its future goal was to establish a strong democratic foundation and maintain accountability.
About the lack of accountability in Bangladeshi politics, Tarique acknowledged that such allegations existed in every country but assured that they would take the issue seriously.
About media freedom, Tarique promised that a future BNP government would fully guarantee the freedom of expression and end the persecution of journalists.
