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India on Thursday reaffirmed its support for free, fair, inclusive and participatory elections in Bangladesh, as political developments unfold in the neighbouring country following the return of BNP leader Tarique Rahman to Dhaka after 17 years and the ban on Sheikh Hasina's Awami League, the country's oldest and largest political party.
Addressing the issue at the weekly media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal outlined New Delhi's broader approach towards Bangladesh, stressing the importance India attaches to its relationship with the Bangladeshi people. "India wants close and friendly relations with the people of Bangladesh, which are rooted in the liberation struggle and strengthened through various development and people-to-people initiatives," Jaiswal said. Placing this in the context of Bangladesh's current political situation, he added, "We are in favour of peace and stability in Bangladesh and have consistently called for free, fair and credible elections conducted in a peaceful atmosphere." When asked specifically about the return of Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Tarique Rahman from London, the spokesperson reiterated India's position on the democratic process. "We support free, fair and inclusive elections in Bangladesh, and the return of the BNP leader from London should be seen in that context," he said. Jaiswal further said that India's Line of Credit and development cooperation with Bangladesh would continue as earlier, despite tensions with the Yunus-led interim government. "We want to have strong and vibrant ties with the people of Bangladesh, and our development assistance should be seen in that regard," he said. Responding to questions on the extradition of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who took refuge in India after her ouster in August last year, Jaiswal said New Delhi's stand on the matter remained unchanged. He noted that since the interim government wrote to India seeking Hasina's extradition, the Indian side has maintained that it is "examining" the request. Summing up India's overall approach, the spokesperson said, "With Bangladesh we have broad-based relations. However, circumstances are a little different now, but we stand for peace and stability, and we want to have strong ties with the people of Bangladesh." (ANI)
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