Indian Foreign Secretary Misri Meets Bangladesh's Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus in Dhaka
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Dhaka, Dec 9 (NationPress) Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri concluded his brief visit to Dhaka on Monday after meeting with Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Advisor of the Interim Government of Bangladesh. During this engagement, he communicated India's apprehensions, particularly those concerning the safety and welfare of minorities in the neighboring nation.
Earlier in the day, the esteemed Indian diplomat engaged with Bangladesh's Foreign Affairs Advisor Touhid Hossain and conducted Foreign Office Consultations with the Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh, Jashim Uddin.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) noted that, throughout these discussions, Foreign Secretary Misri underscored India's commitment to a democratic, stable, peaceful, progressive, and inclusive Bangladesh. He reiterated New Delhi's readiness to foster a positive and constructive partnership with Bangladesh, grounded in mutual trust and respect, as well as sensitivity to one another's concerns and interests.
"The Foreign Secretary emphasized that the populace is the primary stakeholder in India-Bangladesh relations. He noted that India's development cooperation and diverse engagements with Bangladesh, encompassing connectivity, trade, power, energy, and capacity building, are all aimed at benefiting the people of Bangladesh," stated a release from the MEA after Misri's visit.
"He also addressed certain recent events and issues, conveying India's worries, particularly regarding the safety and welfare of minorities. Misri brought up some unfortunate incidents involving attacks on cultural, religious, and diplomatic properties," the statement added.
During the Foreign Office Consultations, which lasted nearly two hours according to local media sources, both parties engaged in extensive discussions on various matters including political and security issues, border management, trade, commerce and connectivity, collaboration in water, power, and energy sectors, development cooperation, as well as cultural and people-to-people ties.
They exchanged views on sub-regional, regional, and multilateral topics, agreeing to enhance consultations and cooperation to promote regional integration, particularly under the BIMSTEC framework.
"The Foreign Secretary's visit will facilitate ongoing bilateral engagement between India and Bangladesh, aiming to address concerns and advance substantive issues within the relationship," emphasized the MEA.
During his visit, the Indian Foreign Secretary made it clear that India seeks positive, constructive, and mutually beneficial relations with Bangladesh.
"This is evident daily in the development initiatives being carried out in Bangladesh and those still in progress. It is also reflected in the collaborative efforts we have across a spectrum of issues ranging from trade, commerce, connectivity, power, water, and energy, to development cooperation, consular cooperation, and cultural cooperation. There is no reason why this mutually beneficial cooperation should not persist in serving the interests of both our peoples. Therefore, I have reiterated today India's desire to work closely with the Interim Government of Bangladesh," Misri remarked to reporters in Dhaka following his meeting with Hossain.
He pointed out that since the political shifts in Bangladesh in August this year, there has been interaction between the leadership of both nations in addition to other high-level engagements.
"Our Prime Minister was the first world leader to congratulate the Chief Advisor upon his assumption of office. They subsequently had a very cordial telephone conversation, and the Chief Advisor accepted the Prime Minister’s invitation to speak at the Third Voice of Global South Summit held in August this year," Misri stated.
He reminded the Bangladeshi media that External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar and Touhid Hossain had a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September, marking the first high-level engagement between the two nations post the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.
"My visit follows those interactions and represents the first structured engagement at the Foreign Secretary level between the two sides after those developments. Today’s discussions have provided both sides the chance to review our relations, and I appreciate the opportunity for an open, candid, and constructive exchange of views with all my counterparts," he concluded.
