India has raised serious concerns with Bangladesh about its approach to terrorism while discussing the revival of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
This cautionary message was shared by India`s Foreign Minister, S. Jaishankar, during a meeting with Bangladesh`s Foreign Advisor, Touhid Hossain, held in Muscat, Oman, last week.
The issue came to light during a press conference in Delhi, where India`s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randeep Jaiswal, addressed various topics, including the ongoing diplomatic situation.
He stated that Jaishankar had advised Hossain, “Everyone in South Asia knows which country and what kind of activities have cornered SAARC. Bangladesh should not normalize terrorism.”
This comment was linked to India`s longstanding concerns over regional security, especially after the terrorist attack on an Indian army base in Jammu and Kashmir in September 2016.
The attack, which India blamed on Pakistan, led to tensions and the slowing down of SAARC activities, with India asserting that terrorism and dialogue cannot go hand in hand.
On a different note, Jaiswal also responded to questions about remarks made by Bangladeshi advisors regarding India.
He pointed out that India has been closely monitoring these comments, adding, “Such remarks are certainly not helpful in advancing the work and relationship between both countries. Bangladesh should consider the consequences of these statements.”
Additionally, the topic of Bangladesh`s internal issues came up after a meeting between the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the Border Security Force (BSF) in Delhi.
Following the meeting, BGB`s Director General claimed that allegations of minority persecution in Bangladesh after political changes in August 2021 had been exaggerated by the media.
Jaiswal, when asked about these remarks, responded, “Everyone knows what has happened to minorities in Bangladesh in the past few months.
India has repeatedly raised concerns about their safety.”
Furthermore, Jaiswal shared that during a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had brought up the issue of minorities in Bangladesh, expressing India`s concerns to President Trump about the situation.
India`s warnings to Bangladesh seem to reflect ongoing regional tensions and a continued focus on ensuring that terrorism is not allowed to interfere with diplomatic relations and cooperation.
The issue of minority safety also remains a significant diplomatic topic for both countries.
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