Staff Reporter :
Expressing Dhaka’s desire to strengthen ties with Delhi, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam stated on Sunday that Bangladesh is committed to improving its relationship with India, emphasizing “fairness, equity, and dignity.”
“We want our relations with India to reach a better position so that people on both sides can benefit. At the same time, we aim to base the relationship on fairness, equity, and dignity. That remains our focus,” he said while briefing reporters at the Foreign Service Academy in the evening. CA’s Deputy Press Secretaries Apurba Jahangir and Abul Kalam Azad Majumder were also present.
Alam underscored the deep historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between the two neighboring nations.
Amid strained relations and increasing criticisms from both sides over post-August 5 developments, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri is set to arrive in Dhaka on Monday. He is expected to hold multiple meetings, including foreign secretary-level talks, to address mutual concerns.
CA’s Deputy Press Secretary Apurba mentioned that the Indian Foreign Secretary is likely to meet Chief Adviser Prof. Muhammad Yunus.
This visit marks the first by a senior Indian government official to Bangladesh since the interim government, led by Nobel laureate Prof. Muhammad Yunus, assumed power on August 8.
During the visit, Foreign Secretaries Vikram Misri and Md. Jashim Uddin will lead their respective delegations at the Bangladesh-India Foreign Office Consultations (FOC).
Randhir Jaiswal, Spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), stated on Friday that the FOC serves as a structured platform for engagement between the two countries. “We look forward to this meeting,” he said.
Mohammad Rafiqul Alam, Spokesperson for Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), noted that efforts are ongoing to keep all aspects of bilateral relations on the agenda. He highlighted trade, border management, connectivity, and water-sharing as broad areas of focus for the discussions.
