India Supports Bangladesh's Battle Against Terrorism: Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar

DHAKA: India today expressed strong support to Bangladesh in its efforts to fight terrorism and extremism, amid a spate of brutal murders targetting minorities, secular bloggers and foreigners.
"I told the (Bangladesh) foreign secretary that I am here also to convey government of India's strong support for the government of Bangladesh in the matter of terrorism and extremism," Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar told reporters after holding bilateral talks with counterpart Shahidul Haque.
Jaishankar particularly appreciated Bangladesh's response to recent attacks against vulnerable sections of society. He called terrorism and militancy an issue that "directly concerns us as neighbors  and the two countries would work "closely and bilaterally" in combating the menace.
Officials familiar with the talks said both sides also took stock of decisions made during recent meetings of various bilateral mechanisms in the areas of security and border management, railways, health, blue economy, establishment of Indian SEZs in Bangladesh etc.
An Indian High Commission statement here said Jaishankar's visit was expected to prepare the ground for the next meeting of the Joint Consultative Commission led by foreign ministers of the two countries to be held in Dhaka later this year.
The joint briefing of the top bureaucrats of the two countries came after Jaishankar yesterday called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, met Foreign Minister A H Mahmood Ali while he exchanged views with civil society figures at a breakfast meeting earlier today.
Jaishankar said that during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Dhaka visit last year, the two countries signed a number of agreements and memorandums of understanding while the two foreign secretaries today reviewed the progress of those agreements.

"We have (come out with) a very good progress report... we really moved forward in a number of areas," he said, adding that eight of 14 commitments reached during last year's summit were fulfilled by now.