India willing to engage with interim government of Bangladesh, wants to build stable, constructive relationship: India's envoy Pranay Verma

Dhaka [Bangladesh], December 3 (ANI): India has expressed its willingness to engage and work with the Interim Government of Bangladesh, the Indian envoy in Dhaka said on Tuesday, amid concerns in New Delhi over issues concerning minorities in the neighbouring country.

Bangladesh has suspended all activities of its Assistant High Commission in Agartala after the breach of its premises. India has stepped up security of Bangladesh missions. Bangladesh also has taken extra security measures for Indian missions.

“We are willing to engage with Interim Government of Bangladesh and we remain interested in working with the Government of Bangladesh to fulfill our shared aspirations for peace, security and development”, Pranay Verma, Indian high Commissioner in Bangladesh, told the reporters after meeting with Bangladesh’s Acting Foreign Secretary, Riaz Hamidullah.

Bangladesh had called Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka at the Foreign Ministry on Tuesday afternoon. He met Acting Foreign Secretary Riaz Hamidullah.

Bangladesh has handed a “protest note” to the Indian High Commissioner, a Bangladesh Foreign Ministry official told ANI without elaborating.  

“We have wide-ranging relationship, multi-faceted relationship and as I have said you cannot reduce it to one issue or one agenda,” Verma said.

“We are working across so many issues. We really want to build a positive, stable, constructive relationship moving forward. So many things we are doing. There are so many inter-dependencies we have and we want to build on those inter-dependencies to mutual benefits. We will keep ensuring our co-operation benefits our two peoples,” Verma said.

“Numbers of positive developments have taken place in our relationship in the last few months, whether it is trade, it is power transmission, supply of essential commodities. We have maintained lot of positive momentum in our relationship,” the Indian envoy added.

Bangladesh law and order forces have taken extra-measures for security of diplomatic missions of India in Bangladesh.

“We, police, army and other forces have taken appropriate measures for the safety and security of Indian High Commission in Dhaka,” Tareq Mahmud, a police official, told the reporters standing outside the High Commission.

India had yesterday termed as “deeply regrettable” the incident of the breach of premises at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala.

“Diplomatic and consular properties should not be targeted under any circumstances. Government is taking action to step up security arrangements for the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi and their Deputy/Assistant High Commissions in the country,” Ministry of External Affairs had said in a statement. (ANI).