Good relations with India needed, but on basis of fairness, equality: Yunus

Bangladesh needs good relations with India, but it should be on the basis of equality and fairness, the interim government's Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has said.

During a views-exchange meeting with students, the chief adviser also said he will try to revive the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc), Mahfuz Alam, chief adviser's special assistant, told the media at a briefing later.

About 150 students, including those who led the recent quota reform protests, participated in the meeting at the Chief Adviser's Office on Sunday (8 September).

Dr Yunus reiterated his pledge to materialise the dream of the students to build a discrimination-free country. 

"For the dream they [students] sacrificed their lives, we must implement that dream. We have no way of getting out of it," he said. "We may not have qualifications, we may not have power, but we have the commitment. We will do it."

He cautioned the students that the ousted force will not remain idle but will try its best to resist them so that it can run its reign of looting smoothly again.

The chief adviser urged the students to continue the task that they started until their dream was fulfilled.

He said since the birth of Bangladesh, such an opportunity that the student-led revolution has created did not come. So, all should remain alert so that no one can snatch away the opportunity.

The 2006 Nobel Peace laureate observed that if this opportunity is snatched away, there will be no future for Bangladesh. He stated that Bangladesh will achieve a prestigious position on the global stage, with its youth taking the lead.

People from around the world will visit Bangladesh to learn how students have transformed it and which mantra they have followed in doing so, he added.

Congratulating the students, Prof Yunus asked them to remain firm in their thoughts without paying heed to others' advice. "Your thoughts are clear. Your thoughts are right," he added.

At the briefing, Mahfuz Alam mentioned that efforts are underway to establish a foundation for the martyrs in the recent uprising to rehabilitate their families and ensure they receive state benefits and honours.

Regarding student politics, he said there is ongoing discussion across all platforms about whether there should be student-teacher politics in educational institutions and, if so, in what format. 

"There should be more discussions to reach a consensus, but the government has yet to make a decision on this matter," he added.

Regarding mob justice, he mentioned that any attacks on shrines, temples, or individuals driven by personal vendettas will be dealt with strictly according to the law. 

"Those who have acted as proxies for fascists will not be judged by the people but by the law," he said, adding that the public should ensure there is no compromise on this issue and that no betrayal occurs towards the martyrs or the injured. 

"The government is taking a firm stance on this matter," he said.

Mahfuz Alam also noted that the chief adviser's meeting with the students was primarily to hear their opinions on the government's performance one month after assuming responsibility.

During the meeting, students raised questions and proposed reforms in the education sector. The chief adviser encouraged the students to share their feedback at least once a month.

Adviser for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Information and Broadcasting and Posts and Telecommunications Adviser Md Nahid Islam and Labour and Employment Ministry Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain were, among others, present at the meeting.