Despite storms, Indian officials visit Bangladesh

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visits Bangladesh amid strained relations between the two countries, with arrests and protests targeting Hindus.

According to Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Randhir Jaiswal, Mr. Vikram Misri will co-chair consultations with his Bangladeshi counterpart on December 9, along with several other meetings.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will visit Bangladesh tomorrow, December 9. (Source: ANI)

Earlier, the Hindustan Times reported that Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will visit the neighboring country next week. This is the first trip by a senior Indian official since the interim government of 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus took power in August.

The visit comes at a time when India-Bangladesh relations are strained following the arrest of Bangladeshi Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on November 25 on charges of sedition.

Earlier this month, police in the northeastern Indian state of Tripura arrested and charged seven members of a Hindu group for storming and vandalizing the Bangladeshi consulate in Agartala, hours after Bangladesh called on India to take immediate action against the protesters.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs described the incident as “extremely unfortunate” and stepped up security at all Bangladeshi diplomatic missions in India.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry has summoned Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma to protest over the incident and asked top diplomats in Agartala, Tirupati and Kolkata, Chennai to return to Dhaka for consultations.

Notably, those arrested were part of a protest group organized by Hindu Sangharsha Samiti, a group claiming to protect Hindu rights, after Bangladesh arrested priest Chinmoy Krishna Das.

Responding to a reporter's question about the arrest of a Hindu religious leader in Bangladesh, spokesman Randhir Jaiswal reiterated India's stance that these people "have legal rights and we hope that these legal rights will be respected and that the trial will be fair and transparent."

Relations between the two neighbours have been strained since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned amid widespread protests and an interim government led by Yunus took office.

Top Indian leaders have expressed concern to Dhaka over the targeting of minorities, especially Hindus, and their temples and properties in Bangladesh.

Last week, India said the caretaker government in the Muslim-majority country must fulfil its responsibility to protect all minorities, amid a "wave" of extremist rhetoric and growing violence against Hindus.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/bat-chap-song-gio-quan-chuc-an-do-tham-bangladesh-296698.html