On Monday, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with Bangladesh’s Foreign Adviser, Touhid Hussain. Misri flew in from India on an Air Force jet for a one-day visit to discuss the relationship between both countries. This was the first time an Indian official visited Bangladesh for important talks since Sheikh Hasina had to leave as Prime Minister on August 5.
After their meeting, Misri told reporters that he appreciated the chance to have a frank and open conversation. He mentioned that they discussed some worrying issues, including the safety of minorities in Bangladesh and recent attacks on cultural and religious sites.
The friendship between India and Bangladesh has been shaky since Hasina was ousted due to protests. After she left, Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohammad Yunus became the new leader. Recently, there have been increasing incidents of violence against Hindus, including the arrest of a Hindu monk named Chinmoy Krishna Das, which has raised alarms in India.
In September, Bangladesh’s foreign adviser had a brief meeting with India’s Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar in New York. While Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Yunus attended the same UN summit in September, they did not get a chance to meet.
Before leaving, Misri is also expected to pay a courtesy visit to Yunus.
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