Vikram Misri, India's Foreign Secretary, Arrives in Bangladesh Amid Concerns Over Hindu Community Atrocities
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New Delhi, Dec 9 (NationPress) Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri arrived in Dhaka on Monday morning amid rising tensions regarding atrocities against the Hindu community there.
He is scheduled to engage in Foreign Office Consultations with his Bangladeshi counterpart, Md Jashim Uddin, later today.
This visit occurs against the backdrop of increasing concerns over reported abuses targeting the Hindu minority under the administration of Mohammad Yunus, including the detention of a notable Hindu monk, Chinmoy Krishna Das.
Furthermore, it signifies the first high-level diplomatic interaction from New Delhi to Dhaka following the removal of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024 and her subsequent asylum in India after widespread anti-government protests shook Bangladesh.
Vikram Misri's trip aims to participate in the Foreign Office Consultations, which serve as a platform to discuss bilateral matters and enhance dialogue. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, confirmed the meeting last week, reiterating India's commitment to tackling growing challenges in its eastern neighbor.
This development follows a prior discussion in September between External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Bangladesh's Foreign Affairs Advisor Md Touhid Hossain on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. That meeting, marking the first high-level engagement after Hasina's removal, aimed at bolstering bilateral relations amid a tumultuous environment.
India has voiced serious concern over the increasing extremist rhetoric, rising instances of violence, and provocations targeting the Hindu community in Bangladesh. Misri's visit is anticipated to tackle these urgent issues and explore pathways to stabilize bilateral relations during a period of significant unrest.
Hindus globally have also been alarmed by numerous assaults on their community and other minorities by extremist factions in Bangladesh.
"We are troubled by the rise in extremist rhetoric, escalating incidents of violence, and provocations. These occurrences cannot merely be dismissed as media overstatements. We once more urge Bangladesh to adopt all necessary measures to protect all minorities," the MEA had previously articulated.
