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Vikram Misri Briefed Indian Parliament Members on His Bangladesh Visit
International Desk
12 Dec 2024, 08:55
Vikram Misri, India's Foreign Secretary. Photo: Collected
Vikram Misri, India's Foreign Secretary, briefed the Standing Committee on External Affairs in the Indian Parliament on his recent visit to Bangladesh.
In a meeting lasting over two and a half hours on Wednesday (December 11) at the Parliament Annex building in New Delhi, Misri responded to various questions from the parliamentarians, according to a report in the Indian Express citing PTI.
Speaking to reporters after the briefing, Shashi Tharoor, a senior Congress leader and chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, said, "We had an excellent briefing on Bangladesh. The Foreign Secretary returned from Bangladesh yesterday. He briefed us in great detail about the visit. But I cannot go into specifics. However, 21-22 parliamentarians asked the Foreign Secretary important questions about the visit. They sought information on many issues. The Foreign Secretary responded in detail and straightforwardly. But I cannot go into specifics."
Citing sources, a report in the Indo-Asian News Service (IANS) stated that Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri informed the parliamentarians that the interim government in Dhaka had assured them of taking action against those involved in attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh.
The Indian Foreign Secretary told the parliamentarians that during the meeting in Dhaka, the Dr. Muhammad Yunus-led administration did not mention reviewing any agreements signed with Delhi.
Citing multiple sources who attended the meeting, IANS reported that during the briefing, several Indian parliamentarians asked Vikram Misri about the status of Sheikh Hasina while she is in India.
It may be noted that Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Dhaka on the previous Monday. This was the first visit by an Indian diplomat to Bangladesh after the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government in August. On that day, he led the Indian delegation in foreign office consultations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh. Misri met with the interim government's chief adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus and foreign adviser Towhid Hossain, as well as Foreign Secretary Jasim Uddin."
Key Points from the Brief:
Purpose of the briefing: To inform Indian parliamentarians about the Foreign Secretary's visit to Bangladesh and the discussions held.
Topics discussed: The situation of Hindus in Bangladesh, the interim government's stance on existing agreements with India, and the status of Sheikh Hasina.
Reactions: Indian parliamentarians expressed keen interest and asked detailed questions.
Significance of the visit: This was the first high-level diplomatic visit from India to Bangladesh after the change in government.
Overall, the briefing highlights the importance of India-Bangladesh relations and the Indian government's keen interest in the developments in Bangladesh.
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