Jaishankar due today to convey Delhi's support

Indian Foreign Secretary Subramanyam Jaishankar arrives in Dhaka this afternoon to convey New Delhi's full support to Bangladesh on countering violent extremism amid spreading of terrorist acts in recent months.

Diplomatic sources said he is likely to convey India's dismay over recent spurt of killings of the religious minority, particularly the Hindus, and attacks on temples in Bangladesh.

He will exchange views with government leaders and officials on the radical groups that are behind such attacks and killings and how to tackle their activities, they said.

Jaishankar is expected to call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at 7:00pm and later on Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali. 

He is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with his Bangladesh counterpart Shahidul Haque tomorrow at the foreign ministry at noon and depart for New Delhi at 5:00pm.

Dhaka will make a fresh push for working out the Teesta water-sharing deal which has remained unrealised for years.

It will also press for an integrated approach to harness the waters of common rivers by adopting a river-basin system, said sources.

Investment, transit, development of Pyra sea port, Indian Line of Credit and a host of other issues will come up for discussion, foreign ministry officials said.

“Jaishankar is expected to carry a message from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina over the ongoing security situation amid the spate of killings orchestrated by the radical groups against the backdrop of Sheikh Hasina's government crackdown on extremist organisations and war criminals,” a highly placed source told The Daily Star yesterday.

During his call on the PM, the foreign secretary will formally hand over a letter of the Indian PM to Sheikh Hasina inviting her to visit India. He will also convey India's message to stand by her government on security or any other issues for the interest of India and Bangladesh.

New Delhi also wants Hasina's government to take effective measures to ensure full safety and security of religious minorities in Bangladesh.

Jaishankar's visit is also taking place soon after US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Desai Biswal visited Dhaka following the brutal murder of a local staff of USAID Xulhaz Mannan and his friend Mahbub Tonoy.

US Deputy Secretary of State Anthony Blinken during a Congressional hearing in Washington on April 28 said the US is working with India on countering violent extremism in Bangladesh.

“Our three governments -- Bangladesh, India and the United States -- all fighting extremism. We're all on the same page here. All three of us are on the same page in that regard,” said US Ambassador in Dhaka Marcia Bernicat on Monday.

India has also noted that Bangladesh has again asked Pakistan on Monday not to interfere in its internal affairs, like trial for crimes against humanity.