Indian foreign secy arrives

Indian foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra has arrived in Dhaka to lead the Indian side during the Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between Bangladesh and India, to be held on Wednesday. 

Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen received his Indian counterpart at Bangladesh Airforce Base (BAF) in the capital, reports BSS citing foreign ministry sources. 

The two foreign secretaries will discuss all the bilateral issues between Dhaka and New Delhi at the FOC, according to a foreign office official familiar with the event. 

They will also review the ongoing cooperation between Bangladesh and India apart from the issues of mutual interests.

They are also likely to discuss the agendas of upcoming separate visits of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and foreign minister Dr AK Abdul Momen in New Delhi.  

During the visit, the Indian foreign secretary will call on Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, said the sources. 

Preparatory works regarding the FOC are now underway, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Seheli Sabrin told the reporters at a weekly briefing on Thursday.

The last FOC was held on January 29, 2021, in New Delhi, India, she added. 

The Indian Foreign Secretary arrived in Dhaka after the completion of his two-day official visit to Nepal from February 13 to 14.

It's the maiden Bangladesh visit of Kwatra after assuming office as Indian foreign secretary on May 1, 2022.