Foreign Secy Vikram Misri reaches Bangladesh amid tensions over atrocities on Hindus

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri reached Dhaka on Monday morning amid tensions over atrocities on the Hindu community there. 

He will hold Foreign Office Consultations with his Bangladeshi counterpart Md Jashim Uddin later in the day.

The visit comes against the backdrop of heightened concerns over reported atrocities against the Hindu minority under the Mohammad Yunus regime and the arrest of a prominent Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das.

It also marks the first high-level diplomatic engagement from New Delhi to Dhaka following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024 and her subsequent flight to India after large-scale anti-government protests rocked Bangladesh.

Vikram Misri's visit is to participate in the Foreign Office Consultations, a mechanism to address bilateral issues and foster dialogue. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed the meeting last week, emphasising India's commitment to addressing growing challenges in its eastern neighbour.

This development follows an earlier meeting in September between External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Bangladesh's Foreign Affairs Advisor Md Touhid Hossain on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. That meeting, the first high-level interaction after Hasina's ouster, focused on strengthening bilateral relations amid an increasingly strained atmosphere.

India has expressed deep concern over rising extremist rhetoric, growing incidents of violence, and provocations against the Hindu community in Bangladesh. Misri's visit is expected to address these pressing issues and explore avenues for stabilising bilateral relations during a time of significant turmoil.

Hindus all over the world have also been shocked by multiple attacks on the community and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh.

"We are concerned about the surge in extremist rhetoric, increasing incidents of violence, and provocations. These developments cannot be dismissed only as media exaggerations. We once again call upon Bangladesh to take all steps for the protection of all minorities," the MEA had stated previously.