EAM Jaishankar Meets Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Advisor in New York Amid Tensions

New Delhi, Sep 24 (IANS) External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a bilateral meeting with Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Advisor Touhid Hossain on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. This marks the first high-level engagement between India and Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, following Sheikh Hasina’s ouster last month.

The discussions aimed at “strengthening” bilateral ties and addressing mutual interests. Jaishankar shared on X, “Had a meeting with Foreign Affairs Advisor Md. Touhid Hossain of Bangladesh in New York this evening. The conversation focused on our bilateral ties.”

The meeting came shortly after the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry lodged a “diplomatic protest” with the Indian High Commission in Dhaka in response to remarks made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding Bangladeshi nationals during his visit to Jharkhand.

The protest statement has faced considerable backlash, and it is anticipated that Jaishankar expressed New Delhi’s disappointment over the issue during his talks with Hossain, which also included Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

Despite India’s efforts to normalize relations in light of recent events and ongoing targeting of the Hindu community in Bangladesh, the interim government in Dhaka has been accused of making unfounded statements in recent weeks.

Last month, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) dismissed as “baseless” claims from Bangladesh’s interim government that India was “deliberately” increasing water flow into the neighboring country. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal noted, “We have seen media reports regarding the opening of the Farakka barrage gates, which is a normal seasonal development due to heavy rainfall upstream.”

New Delhi has also raised concerns over “fake videos, rumors, and fear-mongering” aimed at creating misunderstandings, emphasizing that all relevant data is shared with Bangladesh’s Joint River Commission officials in a timely manner.

Additionally, there was speculation about a possible meeting between PM Modi and Mohammad Yunus during the UN ‘Summit of the Future’ on Monday, but it did not occur due to differing arrival and departure times. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri explained, “The Prime Minister is leaving shortly. The Chief Advisor of Bangladesh has not arrived yet, so a meeting was not feasible.”