Bangladesh's home minister, Asaduzzaman Khan, has declared that anti-Indian activities ahead of the January 7 general election will not be tolerated, Indian media reported.
The senior government official was equally optimistic that Chinese investments in Bangladesh will not raise red flags during voting.
Khan told Indian media that the ruling Awami League administration supports free and fair general elections. He also asserted that the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has boycotted the polls "out of fear" that it will not win a majority.
The Awami League refused to hand over power to a caretaker administration in order to hold the elections, leading to the boycott.
While highlighting the strong links that the Awami League government had built with India, Khan asserted that every time the BNP came to power, relations between the two neighbors had invariably deteriorated and minorities had faced atrocities.
“The BNP and Jamaat [party], during their tenure, had given shelter to anti-India divisive forces... After we came to power, we eradicated them. As long as we [Awami League] are in power, Bangladesh will never allow its territory to be used for any anti-India activity, terrorists, or divisive forces,” he declared.
Khan asserted that the connection between India and Bangladesh cannot be compared to any other.
Regarding relations between India and Bangladesh, Khan stated, "India has been a friend in need of Bangladesh. We have a unique relationship with India, and we have always valued its contribution to the Bangladesh Liberation War."
"Our foreign policy is friendship with all and malice to none. So, we have relationships with all countries. China has made investments in power plants, and infrastructure, and has engaged in aggressive marketing on the economic front. But the relationship with India is different, and this won't have any impact on Indo-Bangla relations," he noted.