New Delhi: The visiting Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, Khalilur Rahman, conveyed to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval that the BNP government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will pursue a “Bangladesh First” policy based on “mutual trust and respect and reciprocal benefit”.
The Bangladesh Foreign Ministry also “reiterated its request to extradite former PM Sheikh Hasina and her Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to Bangladesh, who have been awarded the death penalty by the International Crimes Tribunal”. Hasina has been in Delhi since August last year after being ousted following widespread protests.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs in Delhi, Jaishankar reiterated “India’s desire to engage constructively with the new Government and further strengthen bilateral ties”.
“The two sides agreed to explore proposals for deepening the partnership through the relevant bilateral mechanisms. Follow-on official meetings are expected to take place at an early date,” it said. Both sides also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest, the MEA said.
This is the first high-level political outreach to Delhi by the new government in Dhaka. The BNP swept to power in February this year, 18 months after the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government.
