India’s Home Minister Amit Shah, on the campaign trail in West Bengal, said that illegal immigration from Bangladesh into West Bengal was because Bangladeshis did not “get enough to eat in their own country.” He said that while economic development had indeed been achieved in Bangladesh’s central regions, these had not been extended to its border provinces.
This attracted a stern response from Bangladeshi Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen, who criticised the statement saying it reflected the Indian Minister’s ignorance on the issue. Momen said that such statements against Bangladesh, especially at a time when the two countries are working to improving their relations, were “unacceptable.”
Speaking to a Bangla newspaper, Prothmo Alo, he said that seasonal poverty and hunger in the northern districts of Bangladesh had been brought to an end as a result of persistent efforts by PM Sheikh Hasina’s government. Admitting that the country faced a dearth of jobs for educated people, he clarified that there were ample opportunities for low-skilled labour. Moreover, he said that Bangladesh also employed over 100,000 Indians and that citizens of Bangladesh did not need to migrate to India.
To rebut Amit Shah’s claim, Momen also highlighted several social factors on which Bangladesh has shown tremendous progress. For example, he claimed that while 50% of India’s population does not have access to sanitary toilets, Bangladesh has provided this facility to 90% of its population.
Home Minister Amit Shah’s statements also contradict reports from international organisations. For instance, Bangladesh ranks 75th out of 107 countries on the Global Hunger Index, while India is placed 94th. Additionally, Bangladesh has achieved success in bringing down the percentage of its population that falls below the poverty line from 24.3% in 2016 to 20.5% in 2019. On the other hand, in 2019, 22% of the Indian population was reported to be living under the poverty line.
The Home Minister’s statement comes at a time when India has been looking to mend its relations with Bangladesh. PM Narendra Modi conducted a two-day visit to Bangladesh from March 26-27, 2021. This was his first foreign tour since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a statement by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the visit “symbolised the partnership of half-a-century between India and Bangladesh that has strengthened, matured and evolved as a model for bilateral relations for the entire region.” He also met with his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina to discuss the state of bilateral relations and review the progress made in areas such as health, trade, technology, connectivity, water-sharing, energy, and developmental cooperation. Building on their ongoing coordination in tackling the coronavirus crisis, Modi donated 1.2 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to Bangladesh to ensure sufficient domestic supply.
This, however, is not the first time that Amit Shah’s comments have soured bilateral relations between the two countries. Following the passage of the CAA-NRC, he had described Bangladeshi migrants in India as “termites”. He also claimed that the Hindu community in Bangladesh “found it impossible” to freely practice their religion. Momen had earlier responded to these comments by calling them “untrue” and “unwarranted”.
Diplomatic efforts had brought back some amiability in the official diplomatic relations between the two countries. However, despite talks of allyship and increased trust and cooperation between the two sides, Modi’s visit to Bangladesh was also met with severe resistance from certain factions. Amit Shah’s latest comments could stifle progress to revive friendly relations between the two countries and further the anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh. Furthermore, his comments also demonstrate the divergent strategies of the ruling BJP’s electoral campaigns and its foreign policies.
Amit Shah’s Comments on Bangladesh Prompt Strong Response from Bangladeshi FM Momen
Indian Home Minister Amit Shah said that the primary reason for Bangladeshi immigration into West Bengal was the lack of food in Bangladesh, prompting a stern response from the Bangladeshi FM AK Momen
April 16, 2021
SOURCE: INDIAN EXPRESS