‘De-securitising foreign policy is extremely important’: Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury

Interview/Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, standing committee member, BNP

When External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar visited Dhaka to attend the funeral of former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia in December, he met Tarique Rahman in the presence of senior BNP leaders, including Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury. A former commerce minister, Khasru is aware of the need for a diplomatic reset in bilateral relations between New Delhi and Dhaka in the post-Hasina period. “Trust cannot be rebuilt overnight. It is a gradual process that requires consistent effort and goodwill,” he says in an exclusive interview with THE WEEK. 

How do you see the transition over the last one and a half years, from the interim government to the prospect of an elected government? What have been the main challenges?

People have not been able to vote in the last three or four elections. As a result, they are not only eager to vote, they are eager to reclaim their role as citizens. There is a widespread expectation that an elected parliament will once again be accountable to the people, something that has been missing for a very long time. That accountability is essential to restoring political order and civic rights.

The absence of democracy also had severe economic consequences. What we witnessed was not just political disruption but a steady economic collapse. Bangladesh was pushed into an oligarchic, patronage-based economic order that distorted markets and systematically drained national wealth. Nearly $200 billion was siphoned off through bank fraud, capital flight and inflated mega projects. Money was extracted from the financial system and laundered abroad, leaving a massive hole in the economy.

Today, the country faces serious economic distress. Institutions that should have functioned independently, including regulatory bodies, financial institutions and oversight mechanisms, gradually broke down. Accountability disappeared, and without accountability institutions cannot function. Any government that comes after the election will have to confront this reality. Recovery will be extremely difficult and will require long-term reform, discipline and political will. Restoring institutional order is therefore as important as restoring electoral democracy.

Beyond elections, what else is needed to clean up the political system?

Beyond institutions and economics, political culture itself must change if democracy is to survive. We need to become more patient, more confident in democratic processes and more respectful of differences of opinion. Disagreement is natural and even healthy in a democracy, but it must be accompanied by tolerance and restraint. Unfortunately, democratic culture has been absent for too long, and restoring it will be one of the most difficult challenges.

From the BNP’s side, we have consciously chosen restraint. There are many issues on which we disagree and many actions we could criticise more aggressively. But if every disagreement turns into confrontation, politics will once again become intolerant and destructive. Our priority is to ensure elections are held, a parliament is formed and accountability is restored. Ultimately, it is citizens who must hold governments accountable and correct what went wrong in the past.

How confident are you about free and fair elections? Are there concerns about rigging, and will people actually vote?

I am confident that people will come out to vote in large numbers. The reason is simple. They have been denied this right for far too long. When citizens are deprived of something fundamental, their desire for it only grows stronger. There are millions of voters who have never voted even once in their lives, and they are waiting eagerly to elect their representatives.

I see considerable enthusiasm among ordinary people. When turnout is high and voters can cast their ballots freely, the space for manipulation shrinks. The higher the participation, the more difficult it becomes to rig an election. Mass participation itself becomes a safeguard.

After the end of the authoritarian regime and Sheikh Hasina’s departure, public expectations rose sharply. People now expect honesty, accountability and performance from politicians and state institutions. Those expectations create pressure. If parties fail to meet them, they will lose public support very quickly. This heightened scrutiny makes large-scale rigging far less likely. That does not mean the process will be perfect. Elections in the subcontinent always face challenges. What matters is whether the process is credible enough for people to accept the outcome.

How do you see India–Bangladesh relations at the moment, and how would a BNP-led government approach de-securitising foreign policy?

De-securitising foreign policy is extremely important. Every country has legitimate security concerns, but foreign relations cannot be reduced to security alone. When policy is driven only by security considerations, it creates suspicion and fear between societies. In the case of India and Bangladesh, there is a clear trust deficit between the peoples of the two countries, and that must be addressed honestly.

Trust cannot be rebuilt overnight. It requires consistent effort and goodwill. The first step is to recalibrate the issues that have complicated the relationship. Once trust is rebuilt, it becomes easier to address difficult questions. Some issues can be resolved quickly, others over the medium term, and some require long-term engagement. Without trust, even simple issues become contentious.

The foundation of rebuilding trust must be mutual respect, mutual interest, non-interference and respect for strategic autonomy. Bangladesh’s strategic autonomy is a sovereign decision, just as India’s is its own. Respecting this strengthens, rather than weakens, bilateral relations.

Recently, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met BNP chairperson Tarique Rahman. How was the meeting?

It was a positive and meaningful gesture and was appreciated in Bangladesh. I was personally present, and it was a constructive discussion from both sides. Such interactions matter because they help rebuild confidence and normalise dialogue. They are clearly steps in the right direction.

The Indian defence minister’s visit to the Bangladesh mission and the condolence note were also important symbolic gestures. Symbolism should not be underestimated in diplomacy. Small actions can send powerful signals of respect and goodwill. Rebuilding the relationship must happen gradually and with sincerity from both sides.

Cooperation has historically taken place on water sharing, trade and other agreements. How should these be taken forward now?

Mutual respect is critical, especially on sensitive issues. Take border killings, for example. The killing of civilians at the border is indefensible under any circumstances. It damages trust, fuels resentment and undermines the moral basis of cooperation. These incidents must stop if relations are to improve.

Water sharing is another deeply sensitive issue governed by international law and conventions. It directly affects the livelihoods of millions through its impact on agriculture, food security and ecology. Water scarcity is increasingly viewed as a future source of conflict. These issues cannot be postponed. Avoidance only ensures they will resurface later and cause greater damage.

Trade issues are comparatively easier to resolve because both sides have clear comparative advantages. If these are respected and leveraged properly, trade can become a strong pillar of cooperation. Regional integration is also vital. South Asia remains one of the least integrated regions in the world, with only about five to seven per cent intra-regional trade. India has a major role to play in improving connectivity and linking supply chains. Stronger integration would benefit all countries and strengthen bilateral ties.

You have worked in previous BNP governments. What policy continuity do you see today?

A commitment to South Asian integration is part of Khaleda Zia’s political legacy and has been consistently followed. Bangladesh has long believed in multilateralism rather than narrow, country-centric foreign policy. Country-centric approaches create dependency and mistrust. Multilateralism provides balance, options and resilience, while allowing strong neighbourly relations to develop without compromising national interests.

Finally, there are concerns about minority safety and women’s security. Has extremist sentiment increased?

When there is no elected government, no parliament and no accountability, space opens up for hooligans, opportunists and extremist elements. That is what happened under non-elected regimes, and that space has not yet been fully closed.

This is why people want an elected government so urgently. An elected parliament restores accountability on a daily basis. It strengthens law enforcement, closes the space exploited by extremists and allows governance and development to move forward. Democracy is not only about voting. It is about restoring authority, confidence and responsibility within the state.