Shringla makes sudden visit to cement ties

Indian foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla arrived in Dhaka on a sudden visit in the wake of various speculations over relations between the two countries in the local and international media.

He, however, did not say anything to the media on Tuesday, the first day of his visit.

Speaking to the newsmen at Sonargaon Hotel, Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh, Riva Ganguly Das, said India is paying special attention to relations between the two countries.

Prime minister Narendra Modi wants to take the relations forward, she said adding ‘both the countries are committed in this regard.’

Diplomats on both sides said recent border conflicts with China and Nepal are a cause of concern for India.

China, in the meantime, has reportedly come closer to Bangladesh than any time in the past, tackling the challenges of coronavirous, they noted.

The diplomats said the proximity between Bangladesh with China has newly created discomfort for India.

Besides, political and the diplomatic quarters of India have become extremely sensitive after Pakistan’s communication with Bangladesh, the diplomats pointed out.

In the meantime, Indian media has published several news reports implicating certain personalities of Bangladesh in concocted incidents of the country. Overall, speculations abound over relations between the two countries.

India is endeavouring to ensure that trivial incidents do not a cast shadow over the deep-rooted relations between two countries.

Diplomatic sources said Indian foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla arrived in Dhaka on Tuesday afternoon on a two-day visit to convey a special message of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi concerning relations with Bangladesh.

He paid a courtesy call on prime minister Sheikh Hasina at Gonobhaban on Tuesday evening on the first day of his visit.

Harsh Vardhan Shringla’s sudden visit with no prior announcement from both sides gave rise to speculations since Monday.

However, Bangladesh's foreign secretary Masud Bin Momen does not consider this a visit sudden.

Speaking to Prothom Alo at his office on Tuesday afternoon, he said the relations between Bangladesh and India are multifarious, with various elements. So visits at different levels between two countries can be made anytime. Such visits were arranged in the past too.

He said, “I would have visited India by now had coronavirus not broken out. The Indian foreign secretary visited Dhaka in March and I was supposed to visit India in April.”

“COVID-19 has disrupted everything, but the issues are still there. New issues have cropped up too. COVID-19 is itself a new issue.”

Masud Bin Momen said the foreign secretaries of the two neighbouring countries will meet for lunch at a city hotel in the capital on Wednesday afternoon.

Concerning the agenda of the meeting, he said they would discuss how relations between the two countries can be taken forward. Issues which developed in recent months will also be reviewed during the meeting, Momen said, adding problems would be identified and solved speedily.

Bangladesh foreign secretary said some good achievements have been made during the outbreak of coronavirus between two countries, though these reports had not been duly highlighted.

He also pointed out that transport of commodities through railway, and commodity supply through transshipment, took place. Business continues. Those stranded in India due to coronavirus were brought back home speedily, the Bangladesh foreign secretary added.

Highly placed sources in the government said there are all sorts of discussions and speculations over China’s influence in this region in the context of geopolitics. The issues not related to relations between the two countries are being exaggerated by the media of both countries. The general idea is being propagated that relations between Bangladesh with India are on shaky ground.

These matters will be clarified in the discussions between the two foreign secretaries. It is imperative to make clear that such issues do not have any detrimental impact on relations. Relations between Bangladesh and India are deep-rooted. The two foreign secretaries will discuss the need to ensure that such reports do not cast shadow on the relations.

Speaking to this correspondent, the source said that there had been news reports in the media of Bangladesh and India that Indian high commissioner Riva Ganguly Das did not get any response to her efforts to meet prime minister Sheikh Hasina. But this news was baseless. In fact, the prime minister has not met any foreign officials due to COVID-19. The prime minister’s office on Monday asked the foreign ministry to arrange courtesy calls of foreign ambassadors from September. It is expected that Riva Ganguly will meet the prime minister then.

A senior official in the government said it is very unfortunate that some media outlets in India ran some false and fabricated news online.

When asked whether Bangladesh will raise these matters in the discussion, Masud Bin Momen said, “We may table this in the discussion. We do not expect unnecessary concern over these matters. Neither of the two countries want speculations about the relations to spread due to baseless issues.”

The foreign secretary said trial of coronavirus vaccine started in India after Oxford in UK completed the trial. Big companies in India are also taking preparations to manufacture the vaccine. There is a lot of scope in this regard, including vaccine production in Bangladesh.

Indian foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla arrived by a special flight of the Indian Air Force at Kurmitola Airport at around 11am, said Indian high commissioner Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das.

As per diplomatic norms, senior officials at the foreign ministry are supposed to receive guests of the foreign secretary level.

Indian press statement

Indian foreign ministry and its high commission in Dhaka issued a statement about the visit of Indian foreign secretary.

According to the statement, Indian foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla is on a two-day visit (18-19 August) to discuss bilateral issues and to take relations between the two countries forward.