Former Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pankaj Saran has said it is the people of Bangladesh and the country's institutions who can decide how the election should be held, noting that no one has the right to issue any judgment on how the election should be held.

"Elections are important for every country. Every country has its own method and system. You have everything. It is a decision to be taken by the people, otherwise what is the meaning or concept of independence and sovereign nation," he said while responding to a question at a function in Dhaka on December 18.

Saran, also convener of Delhi-based think-tank Centre for Research on Strategic and Security Issues, said it is for the people to decide who they should elect and it is for the institutions to decide how the election will be held. "I don't think anyone has the right or no one has been given the mandate in today's world to issue judgments on how... We wish you all the best in this endeavor," he said.

The daily Bhorer Kagoj hosted the Zahur Hossain Chowdhury Memorial Lecture-2023 on "Bangladesh-India relations: Role Model of Relations" at a hotel in Dhaka. Former Ambassador Tariq Karim also spoke at the event moderated by Bhorer Kagoj Editor Shyamal Dutta.

Saran said Indian wishes that the election process goes as per the wish of the people, and it goes peacefully so that it does not lead to instability.

He said India is also a big democratic country, but it is not exporting democracy to other countries.

Saran said what's important is that the people of Bangladesh realize the best way forward when it comes to elections.

"You have your institutions. Do the best that you can. Believe in yourself and accept whatever results come out of elections. I do not think it is for any country in the world, including India, to talk about how elections should be conducted either in Bangladesh or any other country," he said.

Saran said Indo-Bangla relations should not be held hostage to domestic politics. "If the relationship changes with the changes in government, then it is fragile. If the relationship survives even with the changes in the government, it is mature and sustainable," he said.

Saran said Indo-Bangla relations significantly improved over the last decades as they settled many disputes, including the Tin Bigha Corridor, land and maritime issues, and signed the Ganges water treaty.

The cross-border crimes and insurgency were also largely addressed, and those were possible because of the political will from both sides.

Though the two countries have advanced in the areas of trade, economy and sub-regional integration, a number of issues require more focus. Those include poverty and unemployment and water resources management, he added.

Saran said the two countries need to find some innovative solutions to balance trade, which is quite imbalanced today.

Highlighting the milestones that the two countries achieved together over the last 15 years, Saran said there will always be an "unfinished agenda" in any relation including that between Bangladesh and India.

The former envoy mentioned four reasons behind describing the relation as a success and said there has been political will on both sides. "Political will is an essential condition for success."

He also said there is peace on the border with significantly less number of criminal activities and security concerns are addressed.

Looking ahead, Saran said the two countries need to work in a number of areas including poverty alleviation, more employment creation, reducing trade imbalance, addressing climate challenges, opportunities in exploring the blue economy and border management. "We have to deal with issues directly."

He said the two countries have a problem of illegal migration and both sides should be talking about it candidly.

Saran said both sides should have stakeholders for a broad-based relationship and people have to be the beneficiaries.

Tariq Karim laid emphasis on working together to address the pending issues and said there is scope to work on the climate front apart from addressing the issues of the common rivers. "There are still some problems. We have to address them."

He said what happens in India affects Bangladesh and what happens in Bangladesh will affect India.

Tariq Karim, former Bangladesh high commissioner to India, said not only Bangladesh and India, the entire Bay of Bengal countries need to come together to save their coasts and the mangrove forest.