India backs early elections in Bangladesh

NEW DELHI: India wants a positive and constructive relationship with Bangladesh, one that is anchored in meeting the aspirations and interest of people of both sides, said government on Thursday while cautioning Dhaka that statements made to deflect attention from its own challenges related to governance are not good for bilateral ties. It also backed free and fair elections in Bangladesh at an early date.

Government was responding to reported remarks by the Bangladesh leadership blaming India's "hegemony" for the crisis in the country. "When statements of this sort come, it seems like you want to deflect in another direction from your own challenges related to governance there. And, to blame others by saying that these extraneous issues caused by others are the reason for these problems...it does not solve the issue," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.