Dhaka [Bangladesh], December 9 : Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri arrived in Dhaka on Monday to hold talks with Bangladesh counterpart Md Jashim Uddin at State Guest House Padma at 5:30 pm.
This visit marks the first official engagement between the two countries following the formation of the interim government under Muhammad Yunus in Bangladesh.
The discussions are expected to cover a broad range of issues between the two nations, including recent reports of increased violence against minorities and the arrest of spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das.
The Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) mechanism between India and Bangladesh is also on the agenda, providing a platform for the foreign secretaries to address bilateral concerns.
On December 4, Press Secretary to the Chief Advisor of Bangladesh's interim government, Shafiqul Alam, confirmed that the foreign secretaries would meet to discuss mutual interests.
This meeting follows the September meeting between Bangladesh Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain and Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where the two sides pledged to maintain a "good working relationship" and agreed to continue holding FOC meetings.
Meanwhile, reports of attacks on minority groups persist in Bangladesh. On December 6, another Hindu temple, the Mahabhagya Lakshminarayan Mandir in Dhor village on the outskirts of Dhaka, was allegedly set on fire. The temple's supervisor, Babul Ghosh, filed a complaint against unknown individuals for the destruction of his ancestral temple.
Ghosh stated that the attackers poured petrol on the idols and fled upon hearing his footsteps, suggesting that the assault had ulterior motives beyond vandalism.
Spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das remains in custody on charges of sedition following his arrest on November 25. The Ministry of External Affairs has urged the Bangladesh interim government to ensure his trial is fair and that his legal rights are respected. A Bangladesh court has scheduled January 2, 2025, for the next hearing in his case.
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