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India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Mishri has said that India does not support Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s criticism of the interim government in Bangladesh. The Indian media outlet The Hindu reported this information in a report on Wednesday.

He made the remarks at a meeting of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Indian Parliament. The committee was chaired by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor. In the meeting, Mishri discussed his recent visit to Bangladesh and his meetings with top officials of the interim government.

He said that while the ousted prime minister is an important issue in Bangladesh-India relations, this relationship is not dependent on any particular political party or government. He also said that India always prioritizes relations with the people of Bangladesh.

Vikram Mishri’s statement has brought the multifaceted aspects and political implications of India-Bangladesh bilateral relations to the center of discussion again.

Vikram Mishri visited Dhaka on Monday to attend the Foreign Office Consultation (FOC), a meeting between the Foreign Secretaries of Bangladesh and India. Vikram Mishri, who led the Indian delegation, left Dhaka after paying courtesy calls on Foreign Secretary Jasim Uddin, Foreign Affairs Advisor Md. Towhid Hossain and the latest Principal Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus.

He also said that Sheikh Hasina is using ‘personal communication channels’ to spread her views and the Indian government has not provided her with any platform or facility. India never interferes in the internal affairs of other countries. This is part of India’s traditional policy.

Vikram Mishri said that India is concerned about the lack of proper verification of allegations of violence against minority communities in Bangladesh. However, he said that Bangladesh has arrested 88 people for their involvement in the recent incidents, which is a positive step.

He also mentioned that the release of terrorists convicted by the Bangladesh authorities and their anti-India statements have become a cause of concern for the Indian government. On the other hand, the Bangladesh government has expressed its displeasure over the ‘misinformation’ being spread in the Indian media.

He referred to Bangladesh as South Asia’s largest trade and connectivity partner and said that India-Bangladesh relations have visibly improved since his recent visit. In recent years, railway, road and inland waterway links have been established between the two countries. However, he said that passenger rail services between the two countries are still suspended.

Although many members raised questions in the meeting about the arrest of ISKCON devotees in Bangladesh, the Foreign Secretary did not respond to this, The Hindu reported.

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