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Foreign Secretary Meets Bangladesh's Opposition As India Steps Up Outreach

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri attended Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's swearing-in ceremony on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but a noticeable outreach effort can also be seen in the foreign secretary's meeting with Bangladesh Jamaat-E-Islami chief Dr. Shafiqur Rahman on the sidelines of the event. 

The Bangladesh Jamaat-E-Islami has emerged as the largest opposition party in Bangladesh and notably won big in areas along the border with India. 

One of the complaints that Bangladesh has had earlier with Indian foreign policy regarding Bangladesh, especially during the tenure of Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League, was that India did not engage with any other political group, and that was articulated by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party as well after it won the election.

Now as India looks at a reset in ties with Bangladesh, India is ensuring its outreach touches everyone and influential political groups are not isolated when it comes to the bilateral relationship. 

"Foreign Secretary of India Shri Vikram Misri had a courtesy meeting with the leader of opposition of Bangladesh and the Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman on the margins of the swearing-in ceremony of the new government in Bangladesh," the Indian High Commission in Dhaka said in a statement on social media platform X. 

"Foreign Secretary conveyed greetings to Dr. Rahman on his new role and reaffirmed India's enduring support to Bangladesh, underscoring the people-centric nature of the ties. Dr. Shafiqur Rahman highlighted the deep civilisational bonds shared by the two countries and expressed hope for stronger bilateral relations," the statement added.

PM Modi's Letter To Tarique Rahman

Birla met Rahman on Tuesday and handed over a warm letter by PM Modi inviting Bangladesh's newly sworn-in prime minister to India. 

PM Modi's letter also extended an invitation to Rahman, his wife Dr Zubaida and his daughter Zaima to visit India at a "mutually convenient time". 

"A warm welcome awaits you in India," he added in the congratulatory letter.

Last year in December, PM Modi sent a condolence letter to Rahman through External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar after the death of Khaleda Zia, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, and Rahman's mother.

India-Bangladesh Relations

Following the deterioration in ties with Bangladesh under the unelected interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, whose provocative comments on India's northeast have led to concern in India, as the new BNP government under Rahman takes charge, India is looking to improve relations with Bangladesh. 

Under Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh had followed a policy of pivoting towards Pakistan at the cost of the relationship with India. 

Tarique Rahman's stated foreign policy, "Not Dilli, Not Pindi, Bangladesh before everything," looks at a more pragmatic approach based on mutual interest and mutual respect, and India is now looking to respond with warmth and friendship as Bangladesh enters a new era after 18 months and finally returns to a democratically elected government.
 



from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/EGa2xBc
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