Bangladesh seeks India’s backing to revive SAARC. Interim government led by Muhammad Yunus has been insisting on revival of the group. SAARC has been suspended for a long time due to the India-Pakistan conflict. The two leaders met during the 8th Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) in Muscat, Oman, on Sunday. This was the second meeting between the two foreign ministers since they met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September last year — a month after Yunus assumed power following the ouster of then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina in a violent student-led uprising. The close ties between India and Bangladesh came under severe strain over attacks on minority Hindus in Bangladesh after Hasina’s ouster. There had been a spate of incidents of violence against Hindus and other minorities, as well as attacks on temples in Bangladesh that triggered strong concerns in New Delhi. The Bangladeshi foreign advisor and the Indian foreign minister expressed hope that various border-related issues would be discussed and resolved during the meeting.
