India can't seek friendship while allowing Hasina to make statements against Bangladesh: Salahuddin

India cannot seek a friendly relationship with Bangladesh while allowing ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina to make statements from Delhi that undermine Bangladesh's democracy and create instability, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said today (8 August).

"India is allowing these while at the same time seeking a friendly relationship with Bangladesh? The two do not go together," he said.

Salahuddin made the remarks at a discussion at Dhaka University's Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban, organised by the Dhaka University White Panel and the University Teachers' Association Bangladesh (UTAB) to mark the second anniversary of the July Mass Uprising.

He said Bangladesh would maintain relations with India based on mutual dignity, respect and sovereign equality, while putting the country's interests first.

"We can never become the Awami League. Keeping Bangladesh's interests above all, we will maintain relations with you [India] on the basis of mutual dignity and respect and sovereign equality," he said.

The home minister said India could not avoid responsibility for allowing Sheikh Hasina to make statements from Delhi against Bangladesh's democratic culture, democracy and its people.

He also accused Hasina of being responsible for killings and crimes against humanity during the July Mass Uprising.

Citing a UN estimate, Salahuddin said more than 1,400 people were killed during the uprising, with women and children accounting for 13-14% of the victims. He also alleged that protesters were shot from helicopters.

"Even after that, whether India can recognise her as a leader of democratic culture – this question remains ours," he said.

'Awami League's fate to be decided by court'

Salahuddin said the government was seeking to prosecute the Awami League as a political organisation and that its fate would ultimately be determined by the court.

"We are talking about trying the Awami League as a political organisation. The fate of that organisation will be decided in court," he said.

He said the relevant legal provisions had been incorporated into the International Crimes Tribunal Act under Article 47, while the party's activities had been banned under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

The possible legal consequences include a ban, suspension for a specified period or confiscation of assets, he said.

"The investigation is ongoing. Hopefully, it will be completed very soon," he added.

'Politics of selling July spirit has failed'

The home minister also criticised those seeking to claim political ownership of the 2024 July Mass Uprising or form political parties around its legacy.

"We have said many times that the politics of selling the spirit has failed in Bangladesh," he said, adding that the politics of invoking the spirit of 1971 had also failed.

He also rejected the idea that the July Uprising could be understood solely through the 36-day movement.

"If anyone thinks that the 17 years of continuous movements had nothing to do with those 36 days of protests, that too is political immaturity," he said.

'We have only just started'

Responding to criticism that the government had already failed, Salahuddin said it was too early to make such a judgement.

"The government is only five and a half to six months into its tenure, and people are already giving speeches on the streets calling it a failed government. It takes time even to fail. We have only just started," he said.

He said the government would implement democratic reforms and amend the state structure, including constitutional changes aimed at preventing the return of authoritarian rule.

"We will carry out democratic reforms and amendments to the state structure. We will bring such amendments to the constitution," he said.

Salahuddin proposed limiting a prime minister's total tenure to 10 years, regardless of the number of terms served.

"We will not allow any opportunity for more than 10 years in this constitution," he said.

He also proposed constitutional changes to allow MPs to directly and independently elect the president.

"We will bring a system into the constitution where members of parliament will directly and freely vote to elect the president," he said.

The minister further proposed introducing checks and balances between the upper and lower houses of parliament.