India keen to advance ties with Yunus-led Bangladesh's interim govt, stays mum on Hasina

India is interested in advancing its relationship with Bangladesh under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma said on Wednesday but did not comment on how long the ousted leader Sheikh Hasina would stay in India. Verma's remarks came after a meeting with Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Daily Star newspaper reported.

"We are interested in advancing our relationship with Bangladesh," Verma told the media after a meeting with Foreign Affairs Adviser Hossain at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Nobel laureate Yunus was appointed as the head of the interim government on Tuesday after Prime Minister Hasina resigned and fled to India on August 5 following widespread protests against her government over a controversial quota system in jobs.


This was the first meeting by the Indian envoy Verma with Touhid Hossain after the formation of the interim government following the fall of the Hasina-led Awami League government.

Verma attended the oath-taking ceremony of Muhammad Yunus as the head of the interim government of Bangladesh last Thursday. However, he did not say anything about how long Hasina would stay in India, the report said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week extended best wishes to Yunus as he took oath as the head of an interim government in Bangladesh, hoping for an early return of normalcy and ensuring the safety of Hindus and other minority communities in that country.