Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri arrives in Dhaka .... first senior level interaction with interim Govt headed by Yunus

The delegation led by the foreign secretaries of the two countries is expected to discuss the overall issues of bilateral relations.

'Foreign Office consultations' led by the Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri is a structured engagement between India and Bangladesh. 

"We look forward to this meeting...", MEA spokesman Randhir Jaiswal told reporters here last week. 

West Bengal BJP President and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar says, "For the development of Bangladesh the situation in the country should improve. 

The atrocities which are being committed against the Hindus in Bangladesh should be stopped...Some people are trying to incite violence in Bangladesh...Bangladesh needs the support of India to come out of the economic strain..."

On West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's reported statement 'willing to lead INDIA alliance', he says, "It does not matter whether Mamata Banerjee leads the alliance or not...West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has already ruined the state and if they (Indian alliance leaders) want to ruin the country then she should lead the alliance."

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri arrived in Dhaka on Monday, Dec 9, to discuss bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh.

This is the first high-level official visit after the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus took over in Bangladesh and this also coincides with recent reports of rise in violence against Hindus in Bangladesh and the arrest of spiritual leader and a former ISKON monk Chinmoy Krishna Das in Chittagong.

The delegation led by the foreign secretaries of the two countries is expected to discuss the overall issues of bilateral relations by participating in the Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) mechanism established between the two countries.

Earlier this month, Press Secretary to the Chief Advisor of Bangladesh's interim government, Shafiqul Alam, said that the Foreign Secretaries of the two countries would hold talks on issues of mutual interest.

In September this year, the Foreign Adviser (Minister) of the interim government of Bangladesh Md. Touhid Hossain had met the Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. 

Meanwhile, reports of attacks on minorties continue in Bangladesh. On December 6, another Hindu temple was allegedly set on fire in the outskirts of Dhaka. 

The Mahabhagya Lakshminarayan Mandir, at Dhor village, in North of Dhaka came under attack on late Friday night.

Babul Ghosh, supervisor of the temple said that a complaint has been filed against unidentified miscreants for burning down his ancestral temple.