‘India to seek apology for backing AL’

National Citizen Party lawmaker and Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam on Sunday said India should apologise for supporting the Awami League government over the past 16 years and for the abuses allegedly committed during its rule.

Speaking during the discussion on the proposed national budget for fiscal year 2026-27 in parliament, Nahid said Bangladesh’s relations with its neighbours must be based on equality and mutual respect.
He claimed India had yet to acknowledge its role in Bangladesh’s recent political history.

Criticising the newly appointed Indian high commissioner, Nahid said that although the envoy had spoken positively about bilateral relations, India needed to go beyond diplomatic rhetoric.

“The new Indian high commissioner should have begun by offering an apology. For 16 years, the Indian government directly and indirectly helped keep the Awami League in power, and it
owes Bangladesh an apology for that,” he said. Nahid also said India should apologise for sheltering those responsible for massacres and the killers of Osman Hadi.

“It is the Awami League that is carrying out sabotage in Bangladesh,” he said.

Referring to border tensions, Nahid said that since the BNP came to power, around 10 Bangladeshis had been killed along the border by India’s Border Security Force, while others had allegedly been pushed into Bangladesh after being labelled “illegal Bangladeshis.”

“The BNP has the word ‘nationalist’ in its name. We want to see how it acts to stop border killings,” he added.

Nahid urged the foreign ministry to respond firmly to what he described as provocative remarks by Indian leaders, including West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.

He said Adhikari had reportedly claimed that Bangladesh owed its creation to India and suggested the country should be “taught a lesson” similar to Israel’s actions in Gaza.

The NCP lawmaker also emphasised Bangladesh’s struggle for independence and sovereignty, recalling what he described as sacrifices made in 2024 for a democratic and discrimination-free country.

He called on the government to end corruption, implement the July Charter and bring to justice those involved in money laundering and plundering the economy.

Turning to the proposed budget, Nahid described it as a “deficit budget” and cautioned that the revenue targets were unrealistic.

He identified three major challenges facing the country: creating employment, reforming the banking sector and addressing electricity agreements that have driven up power prices.

Nahid also criticised what he called insufficient allocations for the defence sector.

“How can you democratise the economy if you do not democratise politics? Without political reform, without ensuring good governance, without implementing the July Charter, how will you achieve economic reform?” he asked.

He stressed the need for a referendum, reforms and accountability.