No war, peace should be established

India launched missile strikes on Pakistan-administered Kashmir and 'terrorist bases' in Pakistan late on the night of May 6 as a 'reaction' to the attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir. This incident has raised the alarm of war between India and Pakistan, which is worrying not only the Asian and South Asian countries, but the entire world. Both are nuclear-armed countries and a prolonged war between these two countries would not only cause the loss of countless lives on the one hand, but would also have a serious impact on the global economy and politics on the other.

According to news received in the media on Wednesday (May 7), India launched a military attack on Pakistan after midnight on Tuesday. Pakistan claimed that it had shot down five Indian aircrafts. At least 26 civilians were killed and 46 injured in the Indian attack, dubbed 'Operation Sindoor', a Pakistani army spokesman told the media. The Pakistani army spokesman said that the dead included teenagers and children. The youngest of them was three years old.

The 26 tourists killed in Pahalgam were also civilians. That means only civilians are dying in these clashes. So, in whose interest or at the instigation of which group are these wars and clashes going on? Civilians never want war. The common people understand that political instigation is mainly responsible for these wars and clashes. Such politics cannot be done with human lives.

We know that India and Pakistan are two neighbouring countries, and there is a long history of conflict between these two countries. The recent tensions have pushed the two countries into a dangerous position; But if a long-term conflict breaks out between India and Pakistan, it will not only be limited to these two countries but will also affect and destabilize the surrounding countries.

We know that if a war breaks out between the two countries, some powerful countries benefit, while the war-torn and neighboring weak and small countries are mainly affected. In that case, there is a risk that Bangladesh will also be affected by the ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan. Not only that, there is a risk that Bangladesh will be directly affected. So we have to be careful now. And the Bangladesh government must immediately take neutral and awareness-raising steps. Strict security must be increased in the border areas. Along with this, care must be taken that Bangladesh does not fall into any diplomatic maneuver.

There has already been a reaction at the international level regarding this conflict between the two nuclear-armed countries. US President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have expressed concern about the recent situation between India and Pakistan. They have advised both sides to remain calm. The Bangladesh government also called on both sides to exercise restraint in a statement issued on Wednesday afternoon (May 7).

Bangladesh is hopeful that the ongoing tension between India and Pakistan will ease and peace will prevail. We want peace, not war. Numerous people across Bangladesh made this call yesterday on social media. This call for peace is for people all over the world.