INDIA raised its concerns over the safety of minorities in Bangladesh, flagging “regrettable incidents of attacks on cultural, religious and diplomatic properties” as Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met his counterpart Mohammad Jashim Uddin here on Monday. Misri, the first high-level Indian official to visit Bangladesh after August 5 when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India following massive protests against her Government, expressed New Delhi’s desire for a “positive, constructive and mutually beneficial” relationship with Dhaka. “Today’s discussions have given both of us the opportunity to take stock of our relations.

 

I appreciate the opportunity today to have had a frank, candid and constructive exchange of views with all my interlocutors,” Misri told reporters after meeting Foreign Secretary Mohammad Jashim Uddin. “I emphasised that India desires a positive, constructive and mutually beneficial relationship with Bangladesh,” he said. Misri said they discussed “certain recent developments and issues.” “I conveyed our concerns, including those related to the safety and welfare of minorities. We also discussed some regrettable incidents of attacks on cultural, religious and diplomatic properties...,” Misri told reporters. He said India expected an overall constructive approach on all these issues by the Bangladesh authorities and looked forward to moving the relationship forward in a positive and constructive direction. Misri said he underlined India’s desire to work closely with the interim government of Bangladesh. He also called on Interim Government Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus and Foreign Affairs Advisor Md.

 

Touhid Hossain. India has repeatedly expressed concern over the targeting of Hindus since the interim Government of Muhammad Yunus took charge in early August. Bangladesh’s statement after Monday’s talks, however, focused on “misinformation” in Indian media. Jashim Uddin said the Bangladesh side expected Delhi’s active cooperation to halt the “negative campaign” in India to build trust among the people of the two countries.

 

“We drew their attention and sought appropriate steps regarding dissemination of misleading and false information in Indian media about Bangladesh’s July-August revolution and alleged hostile attitude to the minority communities here in the post-revolution,” he said. Jashim Uddin said Dhaka simultaneously strongly stated that followers of all faiths in Bangladesh were performing their rituals freely. “At the same time, we said no country is expected to interfere in our internal affairs and reminded that Bangladesh refrains from commenting on internal affairs of other countries and they should as well show identical respect for us,” he said.