Dhaka-Delhi talks: Indian foreign secy to fly in December 9

India yesterday confirmed the visit by its Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri to Dhaka on December 9 in the first top diplomatic contact with Bangladesh since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina as prime minister of Bangladesh in August.

The meeting also comes at a time when ties between Dhaka and Delhi are under considerable strain over various issues, including allegations of attacks on minorities in Bangladesh.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Randhir Jaiswal told the weekly media briefing in New Delhi that the Indian Foreign Secretary will travel to Bangladesh on December 9 for Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) with his counterpart.

During his stay in Dhaka, Misri will hold talks with his Bangladesh counterpart Jasim Uddin besides having several other meetings that have been firmed up, Jaiswal said without divulging if India’s top diplomat will call on Yunus.

Asked about the agenda of FOC, Jaiswal said in Dhaka the Indian Foreign Secretary would discuss all issues of mutual interest.

The MEA spokesperson did not specify any particular issue or issues.

When a reporter pointed out that former ISKCON member Chinmoy Krishna Das was not given bail and the previous court hearing was deferred by a month, Jaiswal reiterated that he would get a fair and transparent trial and his legal rights would be respected.

“We want to reiterate our position that his [Das] legal rights will be respected and he will be allowed to exercise those rights and he will be given a fair and transparent trial.”

The visit by the Indian foreign secretary was agreed on at a meeting between Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on September 23.

The Jaishankar-Hossain interaction was the first since Hasina stepped down in the face of widespread protests and the caretaker administration led by Yunus came to power on August 8.

The change of guard in Dhaka has sparked diplomatic tensions between Dhaka and New Delhi due to various factors, including the alleged targeting of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh and the anger in Dhaka over Hasina’s presence in India where she sought shelter after fleeing Bangladesh.

Yunus and other leaders of the interim government have repeatedly demanded Hasina’s extradition from India.

Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry also summoned Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma on last Tuesday to protest the security breach at the Assistant High Commission of Bangladesh in Agartala by a large group of Hindu right-wing group protesters on Monday.

The last foreign office consultations, a dialogue mechanism between Bangladesh and India to review the overall bilateral relationship, were held in New Delhi in November 2023.