Bangladesh on Wednesday expressed its deep concern over the situation and urged both India and Pakistan to remain calm, show restraint and “refrain from taking any steps that could further aggravate” the situation.
"The government of Bangladesh is closely observing the evolving situation in India and Pakistan," National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In the spirit of regional peace, prosperity and stability, Bangladesh remains hopeful that tensions will be defused through diplomatic endeavours and that peace will ultimately prevail for the benefits of the peoples in the region, he said reading out the statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Earlier, he attended a meeting of the “Committee on Foreign Affairs (appointment, transfer and disciplinary issues)” headed by Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain.
Industries Adviser and member of the committee Adilur Rahman Khan and its member secretary Adviser Mahfuj Alam were also present at the meeting.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for maximum restraint because the world could not “afford a military confrontation” between India and Pakistan, according to a statement from spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.
China also called for calm. Beijing is the largest investor in Pakistan by far and has multiple border disputes with India, including one in the northeastern part of the Kashmir region, reports AP
Several Indian states held civil defense drills Wednesday to train civilians and security personnel to respond in case of attack. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi postponed his upcoming trip to Norway, Croatia and the Netherlands.
Push-ins Must Follow Formal Channels
Referring to reported push-ins from India, National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman said any push-ins should be done in a formal channel and Bangladesh's position is to welcome only its citizens with sufficient proof.
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"This needs to be done in a formal channel," he said when a journalist wanted to know his comments referring to media reports.
Talking to reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Khalilur Rahman said they are also getting the news that the reporter referred to.
"We are examining each case separately. Our decision is we will receive only if there is proof that they are Bangladeshi citizens," he added.
Khalilur Rahman said such push-ins are not the right way, emphasising formal channels.
When asked whether Dhaka will convey this to New Delhi, he said they are already trying to contact the Indian government in this regard.
At the beginning, the National Security Adviser also read out the statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on India-Pakistan issues.
India’s Border Security Force (BSF) reportedly pushed 66 Indian nationals—described as Muslims and labelled as Bangladeshis—across the Khagrachhari border into Bangladesh on Wednesday morning.
US Wants Peace, Stability in South Asia
The United States has said they continue to urge India and Pakistan to work towards a "responsible resolution" that maintains long-term peace and regional stability in South Asia.
"It remains an evolving situation. We clearly are still closely involved in monitoring," said Spokesperson at the US Department of States Tammy Bruce while responding to a question at a regular media briefing in Washington DC on May 6.
She said they remain in touch with the governments of both countries at multiple levels.
"We are not watching from afar in that regard. We are engaged and we’re aware of various reports that are happening in the midst of this very delicate situation," Bruce said.
Push-ins must follow formal channels: Security Adviser Dr Khalilur
"And of course, we, I think, not with – not being involved certainly in the phone calls, I do have – it’s comfortable to have tremendous trust in the President and in the Secretary of State when it comes to how this is unfolding," she mentioned.
On Tuesday, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain said he conveyed to Pakistan that Bangladesh seeks peace and wants to avoid any form of conflict in the region.
Touhid Hossain highlighted the importance of dialogue in finding a solution to any problem during his telephone conversation with his Pakistani counterpart.
"Since the Pakistan Foreign Minister phoned me, I told him we want peace. We don’t want to see any conflict here," Hossain told reporters when asked about his conversations with Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Monday night.
Asked whether the message would be conveyed to India, Hossain replied, “If India wants to know anything from me, I will tell Delhi exactly the same thing. I don’t need to say anything in advance.”
The Foreign Adviser said the Pakistani Foreign Minister called to brief him on the steps Islamabad has taken following recent developments in the region.
“He did not ask for support or any particular reaction. I simply said that peace needs to prevail, and steps should be taken to deescalate tensions. No incident should take place that can escalate the tensions. It is our expectation. We want a solution to any problem through dialogue,” said the Foreign Adviser.
The Foreign Adviser, during the telephone conversation, expressed concern regarding the current situation in the region and stressed the importance of exercising restraint by all parties.
Hossain also emphasised the need for de-escalation, according to the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan shared the information through its X handle at 10:41pm on Monday.
BSF ‘pushes 66 Indian nationals into Bangladesh’ through Khagrachhari
The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister briefed the Adviser on the escalating regional tensions resulting from India's unfounded allegations and unilateral measures, including its arbitrary decision to suspend provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty.
Both sides reaffirmed their mutual commitments to further strengthening Pakistan-Bangladesh bilateral relations and emphasised the need for maintaining regular high-level engagements.
They also discussed opportunities to enhance cooperation on regional and multilateral fora.