Religious intolerance in India affects Bangladesh, said Hasanul Haq Inu, the country’s Minister of Information, on Monday.
“Bangladesh and India are unique as the (largest) minority community of India is the majority community of Bangladesh and violence against the minority community in India creates spill-over effects,” said Mr. Inu at a conference for media professionals organised by a think tank.
Mr. Inu is known to be a strong proponent of secular politics and has called repeatedly for elimination of all fundamentalism in his country.
‘Secular principles’
“Our country began on the path of secular democratic principles. During the military rule in Dhaka, our rulers had imposed the Pakistani model on this country.
“India also began on the secular path. But now South Asia is dealing with the grip of religious fundamentalism,” he said, coming down on religious fundamentalism of all shades in South Asia.
Mr. Inu, a veteran of the 1971 Liberation War who worked closely with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman after the birth of his country, also said that national identities are greater than communal divides in South Asian countries and governments should foster that.
“Under the two nation-theory, communal politics grew. But we made a beginning on the basis of language identity beyond the communal differences,” he said.
Mr. Inu reminded India that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had delivered on her promises by cracking down on terrorism and urged India to deliver on the pending promises of sharing of Teesta’s waters.
“We have issues of water and business. These should be addressed for the sake of development of both countries,” he said, urging a closer cooperation between the two sides on business and security.
