Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan has said Bangladesh is 'now under the shadow of a nuclear war' and urged both India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and pull back their troops.

"In the prevailing situation, Bangladesh has become a frontline state. We are living under the looming shadow of nuclear fallout if a war breaks out. We are seriously concerned at the situation prevailing between the two countries. Chances are there that millions of people in the Subcontinent could perish within a few minutes in case

of a war. It is a matter of utmost concern as one fifth of the world's population live in South Asia, " Morshed Khan told a press briefing at the foreign office yesterday.

He went on, "Bangladesh is seriously concerned as it is situated in the neighbourhood of the two nations who have capabilities. We are very much within the range nuclear fallout."

The foreign minister however said Dhaka will not withdraw its diplomatic personnel from Delhi or Islamabad because bringing them home will not guarantee their safety in case of a war.

Spelling out Bangladesh's stand during the current standoff between India and Pakistan, he said, "We are as much worried as our other SAARC neighbours -- Nepal, the Maldives, Bhutan and Sri Lanka--and Myanmar. We want both countries (India and Pakistan) to exercise restraint. We want them to fall back and we want that they should go for immediate dialogue for peace and stability in the region," Khan told the crowded press briefing following his return from a three-week visit abroad.

Making Dhaka's position clear, he said, " We want restraint. However, we have no intention to meddle in the internal affairs of any country."

During his trip, Morshed Khan attended the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group Conference (CMAG) in Botswana, held official talks in Washington with US Secretary of State Colin Powell, National Security Advisor Dr Condoleezza Rice and her Deputy Steven Hadly, Deputy Secretary of Treasury Kenneth Dam, visited the Pentagon and also had several separate meetings with members of the US Congress. Later, he went to New York and held talks with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and flew to Canada to have meetings with Prime Minister Jean Chretien and his Canadian counterpart Bill Graham.

Responding to a volley of questions, the foreign minister said he had 'very useful and productive discussion' with the US secretary of state.

"I highlighted our position as a democratic country which has made tremendous progress in empowerment of women, micro-credit programmes and education schemes, particularly for girls and oral re-hydration programmes initiated by us, which saved at least four million lives."

In this regard, he observed that

Bangladesh should be called a truly democratic country.

Nothing called Muslim democracy

Making an oblique reference to comments made by various quarters in the West, he observed, "We are not a Muslim democratic country. One is either a democratic country or not. There is nothing called Muslim democracy as there cannot be Chistian democarcy or Hindu democracy. At best, we can be called a democratic country with a Muslim majority."

In reply to a question, the foreign minister said, "Neither the US side raised any conditionalities nor did we ask for any special facilities. I did not go for RMG (readymade garments) issue but I put forward our points, asking if 46 countries could get duty-free access, our people were naturally asking why could not Bangladesh."

He said the issue of SOFA was not raised by the US side during discussions with the State Department officials or the Pentagon people.

On the issue of natural gas export, he explained that the government's current assessment was underway and a decision could only be taken after it was completed.

Asked about Afghanistan, Morshed Khan said Dhaka expressed its willingness to participate in its rebuilding but pointed out that it does not have the means. Besides, it will only participate in 'blue helmet operations.'

In this regard, he noted that an inconsistency regarding the 'territorial jurisdiction of peace enforcement must be settled.' The Bonn agreement and the UN Security Council spoke of different jurisdictions.

Meanwhile, he convened a meeting of all former foreign secretaries at the Padma yesterday. "It is a process that will continue," he said.