Diplomatic Correspondent

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday said New Delhi wants to increase engagements with Bangladesh's interim government and make "joint and concerted efforts" to boost relationship between the two neighbouring countries.

"There is no second thought about increasing engagements. We see this as beneficial for both countries,” Vikram said when he called on Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus at the state guesthouse Jamuna in Dhaka.

"We want to carry on from where we left off," he said as they discussed issues of mutual interests.

During the 40-minute meeting, issues of minorities, misinformation campaigns, ousted dictator Sheikh Hasina's stay in India, regional cooperation, and the July-August mass uprising were discussed.

"We have to do business with the government of the day. This is a major relationship,” the foreign secretary said.

Hasina’s statements create tensions, says Yunus

Describing ties between Bangladesh and India as "very solid" and "close," the chief adviser asked India to help clear the "clouds" that have cast a shadow over the relationship between the two countries in recent times.

He raised the issue of the ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India on 5 August after fifteen years of brutal and corrupt dictatorship.

“Our people are concerned because she is making many statements from there. It creates tensions,” Yunus told the Indian foreign secretary.

Vikram, who held a bilateral meeting with his Bangladesh counterpart earlier in the day, said he monitored events in Bangladesh almost every hour during the July-August mass uprising.

The chief adviser elaborated how students and people joined hands in July-August to end Hasina’s corrupt regime through the mass uprising.

"Our job is to keep their dreams alive. It is a new Bangladesh," he said and briefly outlined the reform initiatives undertaken by the interim government.

‘Wrong perception’

Vikram said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first foreign leaders to greet Prof Yunus after he assumed office.

“We wish you every success,” he said, adding that media narratives and the Indian government’s perception about India-Bangladesh relations are different.

He said it was a wrong perception that India had ties with one particular party in Bangladesh. "They are not meant for one particular party, but for every one."

Interim govt committed to protecting every citizen, says Yunus

The chief adviser called for close bilateral cooperation in floods and water management and urged India to join in his initiative to revive the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation). "We want to build a prosperous new future for all of us."

Vikram said India continues to engage with the association, while there are some obstacles.

About the minority issues, Yunus said the interim government is committed to protecting every citizen and safeguarding their rights irrespective of their creed, colour, ethnicity, and gender. "We are a family. We have to work together."

The foreign secretary said India doubled the number of visas for Bangladeshis last month and would increase the number further in the coming days. "We can take our relationship forward," he added.

Vikram Misri arrived in Dhaka on Monday morning to hold several meetings, including the Foreign Office Consultations. He also held a meeting with Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain.