Bangladesh-India secretary-level talks on Dec 9 or 10: Touhid

Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hosain on Wednesday said the scheduled foreign secretary-level Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) between Bangladesh and India will take place in Dhaka on December 9 or 10.

"It is very clear that we want a good relationship (with India)," he told reporters at the Foreign Ministry this afternoon.

However, the foreign adviser emphasised that relations between Bangladesh and India must be built on a reciprocal basis. "Both sides need to want that and should work for it," he added.

Touhid mentioned that while the FOC is scheduled for December 10, it might be held a day earlier, on December 9.

During the high-level consultation, Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin and Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will lead their respective delegations.

The discussions are expected to cover a range of bilateral issues, including the potential extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, currently in India, and visa-related matters.

Ousted Sheikh Hasina, who fled Dhaka on August 5 and has been residing in India since then, is facing trial in Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal for alleged involvement in mass killings during the July-August uprising.

At the Foreign Ministry's weekly briefing on November 21, Director General of the Public Diplomacy Wing Toufique Hasan confirmed that an inter-ministerial meeting had already been held to coordinate preparations for the upcoming talks.

Source: BSS