External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Advisor Touhid Hossain in Muscat on Sunday (February 16) to discuss bilateral issues and BIMSTEC affairs. The minister had the meeting on the fringes of the 8th Indian Ocean Conference jointly hosted by India and Oman's foreign ministries.
In an X post, Jaishankar said, "Met Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain of the Interim Government of Bangladesh. The conversation was focused on our bilateral relationship, as also on BIMSTEC."
The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) consists of seven member countries: Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Bhutan, and Nepal.
Bangladesh will host the next BIMSTEC summit, which will be held on April 2-4 in Bangkok this year.
India and Bangladesh ties
India and Bangladesh's close ties were severely tested after longstanding Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted from power and forced to go into exile amidst huge-scale anti-government rallies in August last year.
Nobel Peace winner Mohammad Yunus took charge just days after Hasina escaped to India.
The relations further deteriorated with violence against minority Hindus in Bangladesh.
In the aftermath of Hasina's removal, violence erupted against Hindus and other minorities with an attack on temples, evoking grave concern in New Delhi.
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