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statement,” he told reporters at the foreign ministry.

At an event in Lucknow on September 5, Singh said India’s armed forces need to be prepared for war in order to preserve peace.

Rajnath asked the country’s top military leadership to analyse the current situation in Bangladesh and the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas conflicts, predict problems that India may face in the future and stay prepared to deal with the “unexpected.”

Presiding over the maiden Joint Commanders’ Conference in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, on the second and final day of India’s top-level military leadership meeting, Rajnath “emphasised the need for a broader and deeper analysis by the top military leadership in view of the situation along the northern border and the happenings in neighbouring countries that are posing a challenge to peace and stability in the region,” according to a statement of India’s defence ministry.

Asked about this, Hossain said, “I don’t find any reason why he made such a comment.”

Hossain also said he in no way thought that there was any possibility of a war or conflict with India.

He said it was important to understand if Rajnath Singh made the comment for domestic consumption. “His statement is like beating around the bush.”

“There is no reason for India to be prepared because of the Russia-Ukraine war. It is not fathomable how the Hamas and Ukraine issues are comparable to that of Bangladesh,” he said.

Hossain went on the say that Dhaka would not want to show any knee-jerk reaction but check why such a statement was made.

Asked if India is providing political asylum to former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, Hossain said any country can give political asylum to anyone.

Asked about the possible meeting between Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, he said there has been no confirmation yet.

Dhaka has requested New Delhi for a meeting with Modi, but the latter has yet to respond, The Daily Star learned from foreign ministry officials informed of the proceedings.

“There is a procedure for top leaders on the sidelines of UNGA, and Bangladesh will proceed accordingly,” Hossain said.

Yunus will lead a delegation of 10-12 people to the UNGA for five days. He will go to New York on September 22.

Meanwhile, the UN Refugee Agency wants Bangladesh to provide shelter to the Rohingyas now displaced near the Bangladesh border amid the fighting between the Arakan Army and Myanmar military.

“We clarified to them that we have played our role beyond our capacity by sheltering 12 lakh Rohingya refugees. Sheltering more of them is not possible,” Hossain said.

“The Border Guard Bangladesh is pushing back the Rohingyas who are trying to cross into Bangladesh. But some are managing to sneak into Bangladesh because of limitations in BGB capacity,” Hossain added.