EAM conveyed to Bangladesh not to normalise terrorism: MEA on Jaishankar-Hossain meet
New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has conveyed to Bangladesh that it “should not normalise terrorism” during his recent meeting with Touhid Hossain, the foreign affairs advisor to Bangladesh’s interim government, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated on Friday. The two leaders met on the sidelines of the 8th Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) in Muscat last week.
Responding to a media query at a weekly briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that the issue of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was raised during the discussions.
“Yes, the matter was brought up by the Bangladesh side when our EAM met their foreign advisor in Muscat. Everyone in South Asia is aware of which country and what activities are responsible for stymieing SAARC. The EAM conveyed that Bangladesh should not normalise terrorism,” Jaiswal stated.
Jaishankar has previously voiced concerns about SAARC’s stagnation, attributing it to a member state’s alleged support for terrorism. Speaking at a think tank event in 2024, he had said, “SAARC is in trouble because one of its members has consistently supported terrorism.” SAARC, an eight-member regional bloc that includes India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, has seen minimal progress in recent years due to tensions between its members, particularly India and Pakistan.
The diplomatic engagement between India and Bangladesh comes amid political turmoil in Dhaka. Unprecedented student-led protests in Bangladesh last year led to the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, with Hasina fleeing to India on August 5. The country is now governed by an interim administration led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus.
Jaiswal also addressed concerns about certain comments made by Bangladeshi officials that could impact diplomatic relations. “Yes, obviously, we have taken note of such remarks, which are, of course, not helpful. It is for the concerned individuals to reflect on the implications for their particular domains,” he said.
Bangladesh’s interim government has been advocating for the revival of SAARC, which has remained largely inactive in recent years. However, an official statement from Jaishankar following his meeting with Hossain did not mention SAARC. “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,” Jaishankar posted on X (formerly Twitter) on February 16.
A statement from Bangladesh’s foreign ministry noted that Hossain had sought discussions on renewing the Ganges Water Treaty, originally signed in 1996. The statement also highlighted Dhaka’s request for India’s support in convening a SAARC standing committee meeting.
“Both sides recognised the challenges the two neighbours are facing in terms of bilateral relations and discussed the necessity to work together to address those,” the statement added.
