Bangladesh hosts 90 per cent Muslims of its total population, along with other minorities, which is the fourth largest Muslim-inhabited country in the World. On the contrary, despite India having Hindu centrism, about 21 crore Muslims have been living in India, which is almost 15 per cent of its total population, and 3rd ranked Muslims lived country in the World. Both Bangladesh and India have a long-standing historical attachment through religion, language, attire, customs, and many other cultural affinities. Last Saturday, the Indian High Commission of Bangladesh launched an iftar event to invite the present government’s top ministers, officials and other political party members.
By Md. Al-Amin
The High Commissioner of India, Mr. Pranay Kumar Verma, said, “India has always supported — and will continue to support — a democratic, stable, peaceful, progressive, and inclusive Bangladesh.” By this remark, He certainly confesses the motives of Delhi to rebuild the fractured relations till the 5th August, 2024, July uprising.
He also added, “Our two nations share a rich history and profound cultural connections. The indelible memory of our shared sacrifices during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971 continues to unite our peoples.” Through this remark, he diplomatically highlighted the depth of the relationship between the two countries. Even though the gathering primarily took place due to religious affinities, he strategically referred to their shared ethnic and historical ties, particularly the memories of the 1971 Liberation War. By invoking this collective past, he attempted to emphasise the longstanding emotional and cultural bonds that continue to shape and strengthen the bilateral relationship between the two nations.
Cultural diplomacy is a form of soft power involving the exchange of ideas, art, language, and culture to foster mutual understanding and enhance a nation’s image. It acts as a tool for international dialogue and trust-building. Often it is utilized for shaping relationships in a new phase. History implies that after times of tension or conflict, cultural diplomacy has historically been crucial in mending or strengthening ties between nations. For instance, cultural exchanges like the well-known Ping-Pong Diplomacy in the early 1970s helped to gradually rebuild relations between the United States and China. In a similar vein, nations like France and Germany bolstered reconciliation following World War II by encouraging cooperative institutions, educational exchanges, and shared cultural initiatives. Through popular culture, travel, and cultural exchanges, cultural diplomacy also contributed to the normalisation of relations between South Korea and Japan. These illustrations show how people-to-people encounters, cultural ties, and shared heritage can be useful instruments for re-establishing confidence and reconstructing bilateral ties between countries. In the case of Bangladesh-India ties, these cultural affinities could work tremendously. The High Commissioner also conveyed his best wishes to the people of Bangladesh observing the holy month of Ramadan, expressing hope that the sacred month would bring peace, prosperity and well-being to all. The endeavour of his intellectuality to connect Bangladeshi citizens to Indians favour is noteworthy to get a momentum to reshape the bilateral relations.
At the iftar gatherings, attended by civil society members, ministers, bureaucrats, and other distinguished guests, Pranay Kumar Verma emphasised the shared aspirations of Bangladesh and India, stating that both nations stand at the threshold of a promising future as two vibrant and forward-looking societies. The event served as a platform to strengthen people-to-people connections and diplomatic goodwill between the two neighbours. By bringing together influential members of Bangladeshi society, the gathering reflected a clear intention to foster deeper engagement between Indian representatives and Bangladeshi citizens, highlighting the importance of mutual understanding, cultural exchange, and cooperative dialogue in advancing bilateral relations.
Historically, cultural exchanges have played a significant role in strengthening the relationship between Bangladesh and India. For instance, during the annual celebration of Durga Puja in Kolkata, Bangladesh has previously exported tons of Hilsa fish to India as a gesture of cultural goodwill, symbolising the deep-rooted cultural and social ties between the two nations. Such exchanges have contributed not only to cultural bonding but also to strengthening socio-economic cooperation. Similarly, the mutual exchange of films between the two countries has long reflected their shared cultural affinities and common heritage. In this context, utilising an iftar gathering during the holy month of Ramadan to engage with Bangladeshi society can be seen as a constructive diplomatic effort by India to move bilateral relations forward. This initiative deserves appreciation, as it demonstrates an approach that values the relationship with Bangladesh beyond political divisions, recognising the nation and its people as a priority in fostering long-term friendship and cooperation.
Md. Al-Amin is an educator. He completed his post-graduation from the Department of International Relations at Rajshahi University,Bangladesh. His research interests are Diplomacy, Foreign policy, Border conflicts, and Security issues.
