Kolkata: Bangladesh Information Minister Hasan Mahmud Saturday said the Sheikh Hasina government is committed to the safety of its Hindu minorities and the peaceful Durga Puja celebrations in the country this year is a testimony to it. Mahamud, who is in the city to inaugurate Bangladesh Film Festival, said the Indo-Bangla relation is not dependent only on the Teesta water-sharing agreement between the two nations.
"The Sheikh Hasina government is committed to protecting the rights of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. The recent peaceful Durga Puja celebration in the country is a testimony to it. This year the number of Durga Pujas held in Bangladesh is much higher than last year," Mahmud said at a press conference at the Press Club here.
Referring to the communal violence in Bangladesh during Durga Puja in 2021, he said the country's government was extra cautious to avoid any untoward incident this year. "Those who had tried to create problems during Durga Puja stand exposed. We have taken special measures to ensure no untoward incident takes place," he said.
Speaking on India-Bangladesh relations, the minister said more than the government-to-government relations it is the people-to-people associations between the two countries that have helped strengthen the diplomatic relations. "Our bilateral relationship is not only dependent on Teesta (Water sharing). Whenever I come to India, I am asked this question. Our relationship is diverse," he added. The Teesta river water agreement has been hanging fire for more than a decade due to opposition from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. (PTI)
