Advisors Shifting from Provocative to Pragmatic Stance?

Bangladesh’s advisor, Mahfuz Alam, has stated that India has decided not to return the ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, citing political reasons. He shared this information during a press briefing after the ‘Foreign Policy Dialogue’ at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday. “Our observation is that this is a political decision made by India not to return Sheikh Hasina, and we are hearing this,” he said.

Alam further emphasized the need for pragmatism, adding, “From the state’s perspective, we must remain realistic. We cannot afford to make rash decisions.”

Mahfuz Alam had previously faced widespread criticism for provocative posts on social media, including calls for civil war, advocating for a united Bengal, and removing pictures of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. His shift toward a more pragmatic approach has sparked amusement on social media.

During the dialogue, Mahfuz Alam was accompanied by the Advisor to the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology, Nahid Islam. After the session, they addressed the media. Foreign Secretary Jasim Uddin mentioned that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would continue to hold a series of dialogues on foreign policy, with this being the first in the series.

Alam also stressed that the interim government’s primary focus is to protect Bangladesh’s national security, territorial integrity, and sovereignty. He stated, “We want to focus on how we can enhance our own capabilities. What other countries do is less important; what matters is increasing our own strength and bargaining power in the international arena, which will ultimately benefit our people.”