Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri To Visit Bangladesh On Dec 9

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will visit Bangladesh on December 9 for Foreign Office Consultations, including meetings with his counterpart.

File Photo of Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri

Source : PTI

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri is set to visit Bangladesh on December 9 for Foreign Office Consultations, marking a continuation of India’s structured engagements with the neighbouring nation. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced that the visit will include meetings with Misri’s Bangladeshi counterpart.

“Foreign Secretary is scheduled to visit Bangladesh on the 9th of December and he will meet his counterpart and there will be several other meetings during the visit. Foreign Office consultations led by the Foreign Secretary are structured engagements between India and Bangladesh. We look forward to this meeting,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.  

The visit comes amidst rising concerns in India over the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former spokesperson of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). Das was detained at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on sedition charges for allegedly insulting Bangladesh’s national flag during a rally.  

Denied bail by a Chattogram court, Das has been sent to jail, sparking unrest in Bangladesh. Clashes between his supporters and security personnel reportedly led to the death of a lawyer.  

Addressing the matter, the MEA stated, “We have spoken on this issue earlier. We would like to reiterate our expectation that relevant legal processes underway in Bangladesh are executed in a fair, just and transparent manner, ensuring full respect for the legal rights of concerned individuals”  

India On Chinmoy Das Arrest, Minorities' Safety In Bangladesh

Earlier, sources informed ABP Live that India considers Chinmoy Das’s arrest an internal matter of Bangladesh and will not take any “immediate action” on the issue. However, the MEA has expressed "deep concern" over the incident and called for “fair, just, and transparent” legal proceedings in Bangladesh.

Last week, the MEA said, “We see ISKCON as a globally well-regarded organisation with a strong record of social service. As far as cases against individuals are concerned, we have noted that legal processes are underway. We expect that these processes will deal with the case in a just, fair, and transparent manner, ensuring full respect for the legal rights of all concerned.”

The ministry also expressed growing concerns over the safety of Hindus and other minorities in the neighboring country, amidst escalating incidents of violence and desecration of religious sites. Randhir Jaiswal had remarked, “India has consistently and strongly raised with the Bangladesh government the threats and targeted attacks on Hindus and other minorities. Our position on the matter is clear – the interim government must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities.”

He added, “We are concerned at the surge of extremist rhetoric, increasing incidents of violence and provocation. These developments cannot be dismissed only as media exaggeration.”