By Bhupen Goswami

Guwahati : Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina recently made a significant statement on Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB). In the statement, she said that she did not understand the intention of CAB, which meant to give Indian citizenship to minorities that faced “religious persecution” in neighbouring countries, including Bangladesh. Hasina straightly said that, “Why this Bill…I don’t understand. Is it for election purpose?”In the issue of “religious persecution”, the PM clarified that, “There is no such [religious persecution] in Bangladesh. Some incidents have happened. But we took immediate action. It is not in Bangladesh alone.” “I have understood the feelings of Indian citizens that they are also not happy with the Bill.” “I think India should not do anything that creates tension.”- she added.She said she never felt that the bill meant to blame Bangladesh for religious persecution of minorities in the country. “I don’t think so. There is no such [religious persecution] in Bangladesh. Some incidents have happened. But we took immediate action,” the premier said. Sheikh Hasina said religious extremism and terrorism are a global problem. “It is not in Bangladesh alone.” She said her understanding was that people in India are also not happy with the bill. “I think they [India] should not do anything that create tension.”The premier said there used to be untoward incidents such as bomb blasts in Assam and other areas [India’s north eastern states bordering Bangladesh] but that do not occur anymore as her government had taken strict action against Indian separatists operating from Bangladesh. “They should consider all these factors as a neighbouring country.” She said South Asia has a huge population and poverty is rampant. “I have told my neighbours that we have a common enemy — poverty; and we have to fight it together” The premier brushed aside concerns about persecution of intellectuals and activists in the country, stressing that no killings of intellectuals has occurred since 2016. “The killing of bloggers and online activists appeared as a new phenomenon in [our country]. The people and government unequivocally condemned those attacks, and immediate actions were taken to arrest the perpetrators,” Hasina said.