The prospect of an all-out war between two of Bangladesh’s most immediate neighbours, India and Pakistan, is not a prospect that our nation or indeed the wider sub-continent should be comfortable with.
Following the Pahalgam atrocity in April 22, which resulted in 26 people getting killed, both India and Pakistan -- nations capable of nuclear deterrence -- have been threatening to destabilize the region with irresponsible displays of belligerence.
Given Bangladesh’s diplomatic ties with both counties, it is in our best interests to ask for deescalation on the part of our neighbours and let cooler heads prevail, as the potential fallout of yet another war between India and Pakistan is far too severe for us all.
For context, after Islamist assailants killed 26 individuals in the India-administered Kashmir, with India pointing fingers at Pakistan-backed groups for the atrocity, diplomatic ties between the two countries have fallen at a low point.
However, after India’s targetting of several what it calls “terrorist infrastructure” in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, the threat of retaliation from Pakistan has been real with the country also claiming to have shot down multiple jet fighters belonging to the Indian Air Force.
These are all concerning developments, certainly at a time when the South Asia, and indeed Asia in general, could stand to benefit more from enhanced regional cooperation, not limited to the United States’ increasingly volatile outlook towards global trade.
Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus last year expressed that the revitalization of bodies such as Saarc could benefit the whole region, which is nothing if not an extension of the belief that the sub-continent stands to benefit more when countries work together for mutual benefit. Which is why the potential for warfare, between two nuclear-capable counties no less, is not just counterproductive but potentially devastating for far too many others.
We hope our immediate neighbours are able to find a more diplomatic solution to their current points of contention
We hope our immediate neighbours exercise restraint and are able to find a more diplomatic solution to their current points of contention. The last thing the world needs right now is yet another war.
