India endorses interim govt’s dev agenda

Diplomatic Correspondent :

India has expressed its intention to work closely with the interim government of Bangladesh, led by Dr Muhammad Yunus, to foster a mutually beneficial and people-centric relationship between the two nations.

In response, Bangladesh has urged India to address negative propaganda about Bangladesh and underscored concerns over border killings by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF), stating that such actions are inconsistent with friendly bilateral relations.

These matters were raised during the Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) held at the State Guest House Padma on Monday, where Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Md Jasim Uddin and Indian counterpart Vikram Misri discussed the full scope of bilateral relations.

Speaking after a courtesy call with Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain, Vikram Misri stated, “India desires a positive, constructive, and mutually beneficial relationship with Bangladesh. This relationship will remain people-centric and people-oriented, as it has been in the past and will continue to be in the future.”

Misri highlighted India’s commitment to working closely with the interim government while raising concerns about the safety, security, and welfare of minorities in Bangladesh. “We look forward to moving this relationship forward in a constructive and forward-looking direction,” he added.

Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Md Jasim Uddin, while addressing the media, reiterated Bangladesh’s concerns over border killings. “We told them such killings are undesirable and do not align with the friendly relations between our countries. We expect India to honour its commitment to reduce border killings to zero.”

On the issue of misinformation about minority treatment, he said, “We urged India to play an active role in preventing negative propaganda about Bangladesh. Misleading narratives in Indian media harm our relations, and we expect them to be investigated and addressed.”

The meeting also addressed a range of issues, including the renewal of the Ganges Water Treaty (set to expire in 2026), removing tariff barriers, cooperation on fuel and electricity, India’s role in resolving the Rohingya crisis, and the simplification of visa processing.

Both sides acknowledged the importance of addressing challenges constructively to strengthen their bilateral partnership for mutual benefit.