Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin has said that his Indian counterpart Vikram Misri conveyed to him that the presence of Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi will not have any impact on bilateral relations.
"We'll work with the government of the day," the foreign secretary quoted his counterpart, "Her presence does not have any bearing on our relations."
The reply came when foreign secretary raised the issue of her presence in New Delhi and making different statements at the foreign office consultation (FoC).
Briefing reporters, the foreign secretary said the discussion was free, open, and candid.
"There was a gap in understanding. I think after this visit, the gap will be reduced," he said.
India, Bangladesh relations witnessed tension following the August 5 political changeover after which former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took shelter in New Delhi.
The International Crimes Tribunal which is trying the July-August killing has sought her return from India.
The foreign ministry, however, maintained that they would proceed once they get formal requests from the government’s other relevant departments.
The foreign secretary on Monday also reiterated that saying “its a political decision and we can seek her extradition by diplomatic messages. We also have missions in India. So for that, we don’t need any FOC.”
He, however, said he told the Indian foreign secretary to convey to Sheikh Hasina that the government does not like her statement from New Delhi.
“He took note,” Jahsim Uddin said when asked about the response of his Indian counterpart.
He said they had discussed a whole range of issues including the concerns on minorities in Bangladesh and the border killing.
“We brought to India's attention the misinformation and false reports in Indian media about the alleged mistreatment of minorities following the July-August revolution in Bangladesh. We requested the Indian government to take appropriate measures regarding this,” he said.
“We also highlighted that all religions in Bangladesh are practiced freely and there is no room for confusion or misrepresentation. The Bangladesh government has invited foreign journalists to observe the situation on the ground.
“Furthermore, we underscored that this is an internal matter for Bangladesh and that foreign comments on our internal issues are inappropriate. I also reminded that Bangladesh refrains from commenting on the internal affairs of other countries, and such mutual respect should be extended by others as well.”
Vikram Misri arrived in Bangladesh on Monday morning for a one-day visit to take part in the FOC.
He also had a courtesy meeting with Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus and foreign adviser Md Touhid Hossain.
He expressed optimism about further advancing our existing relations with India and discussed various aspects of the bilateral relationship between our two countries.
“India is our closest neighbor, and our relationship with India is historical. In this context, during the consultations, both delegations agreed to further strengthen the existing ties between our countries in the future,” Jashim Uddin said.
“We have expressed our desire to work closely with India to resolve all outstanding issues between our two countries as quickly as possible.
“I emphasized the importance of building trust and confidence between the peoples of both countries and urged India to play an active role in preventing negative propaganda against Bangladesh,” he said.
On border killing, he said, reducing border killings is a priority for us.
“We believe that every life is precious – "One life is too many." In this regard, we have requested the Indian government to take visible and effective measures. We also discussed cooperation in addressing transborder crimes, including drug trafficking and other criminal activities, and urged India to help resolve various long-standing border issues.”
The FOC also focused on transboundary river issues.
Bangladesh emphasized the need to conclude the Teesta water-sharing agreement.
“The Ganga water treaty will expire in 2026, and I stressed the importance of starting the renewal process,” he said.
“We also discussed other water-sharing agreements for several cross-border rivers that are under negotiation, and I urged that these agreements be finalized. We also called for cooperation in flood forecasting, data exchange, and flood prevention, and discussed the need for setting up a high-level mechanism to address these issues.”
“India is one of our largest commercial partners, and we emphasized the importance of removing barriers such as tariffs and para-tariffs to increase bilateral trade. We also requested India to take necessary steps to ensure uninterrupted supply of essential goods from India to Bangladesh,” he said.
On energy and power sector cooperation, he said, this cooperation is continuously increasing.
“Currently, we import around 2,656 MW of electricity from India. This cooperation is likely to grow given the current geopolitical context. We also discussed the need for India's assistance in bringing hydropower from Nepal and Bhutan through India,” he said.
The Bangladesh side also called for India's cooperation in addressing the permanent solution to the Rohingya crisis and the repatriation of 1.2 million Rohingyas residing in Bangladesh, as well as in maintaining peace and stability in the region.
Every year, a significant number of Bangladeshis visit India for tourism and medical purposes.
“We requested the simplification of their visa processes, as well as addressing other consular issues. We also requested India's consideration of pardoning Bangladeshis who have been sentenced by Indian courts and are serving their sentences either in India or Bangladesh. Additionally, we discussed the release of detained Bangladeshi fishermen in India,” Jashim Uddin said.
During the discussions, India's Foreign Secretary reaffirmed the Indian government's strong commitment to working together with Bangladesh's interim government.
He also invited his Bangladesh counterpart to participate in the next FOC meeting in New Delhi at a mutually convenient time.