BNP Standing Committee member Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said on Wednesday that Bangladesh’s relations with India will be based on equality.

“The government welcomes India’s friendly invitation if it comes without any vested interests. But Bangladesh will not move forward if there are interests involved. Bangladesh believes in independence and sovereignty,” he said.

Rizvi, also the Prime Minister’s Political Adviser, made the remarks after paying homage, along with leaders and activists of the Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebak Dal, at the graves of former president Ziaur Rahman and former prime minister Khaleda Zia at Zia Udyan in the capital on Wednesday, marking the 46th founding anniversary of the organisation.

“Bangladesh’s relations with India will be based on equality. The BNP government will not accept anything beyond that,” he said.

Rizvi also expressed hope that the Swechchhasebak Dal would remain active in the field to highlight to the people the government’s various welfare-oriented initiatives taken to implement the BNP’s election manifesto.