Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Mishri, who visited Dhaka on Monday(yesterday), has said that he is keen on a 'joint and concerted effort' to improve ties with the interim government of Bangladesh and strengthen ties between the two neighbors.
He said this in a meeting with Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna on Monday (December 9).
The Indian Foreign Secretary said, 'There is no second thought other than enhancing ties. We see it as beneficial for both countries.'
During discussions on mutual interests, Vikram Mishri said, 'We want to start again from where we were.'
The nearly 40-minute meeting discussed minority issues, disinformation, ousted dictator Sheikh Hasina's stay in India, regional cooperation and the July-August uprising.
The Indian Foreign Secretary said, 'India's relations with Bangladesh are very important. We have to work with the current government.’
The Chief Adviser described the relationship between Bangladesh and India as ‘very strong’ and ‘close’. He said that in recent times, some clouds have gathered between the two neighbors and cast a shadow. Professor Yunus has sought India’s help to remove this ‘dark cloud’.
The discussion also touched on the issue of ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Describing the brutal and corrupt dictatorship of the past 15 years, the Chief Adviser told the Indian Foreign Secretary, ‘Our people are worried because she is giving a lot of speeches from there (India). It is creating tension.’
Vikram Mishri said that he had been monitoring the events in Bangladesh almost every hour during the July-August mass uprising.
The Chief Adviser gave a detailed account of how students, workers and the public came together to end Hasina’s corrupt regime through the July-August mass uprising.
He said, ‘Our job is to keep the dreams of the youth alive. This is a new Bangladesh.’ He briefly outlined the reform initiatives taken by the interim government.
Vikram Mishri said that among the foreign leaders who welcomed Professor Yunus after he took over as the Chief Adviser, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was at the forefront.
Stating that the media narrative and the Indian government’s perception of India-Bangladesh relations are different, he said, ‘We wish you success.’
Stating that ‘It is a misconception that India has relations with a particular political party in Bangladesh,’ Vikram Mishri said, ‘India’s relations with Bangladesh are not for any particular party, but for all.’
At the meeting, Professor Yunus called on India to respond to his initiatives for closer bilateral cooperation in flood and water management and for reviving SAARC.
The Chief Adviser said, ‘We want to build a prosperous new future for all of us.’
Vikram Mishri said that India has continued to work with SAARC, although there are some obstacles.
The Chief Adviser on minority issues said the interim government is committed to ensuring the safety and security of every citizen and protecting the rights of all, regardless of religion, caste, ethnicity and gender.
He said, “We are one family. We have to work together.”
The Indian foreign secretary said, “India has doubled the number of visas for Bangladeshis last month and will increase this number further in the coming days. We want to take our relationship forward.”