The fourth round of consular talks between India and Bangladesh convened in New Delhi on Wednesday, signaling a concerted effort to address key bilateral issues. The Indian delegation, led by Joint Secretary (CPV) Dr. Aman Puri, met with counterparts from Bangladesh, headed by Director General (South Asia) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rokebul Haque.
A statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs highlighted the extensive discussions held during the meeting. Both sides delved into mechanisms aimed at bolstering coordination and cooperation on consular issues, visa matters, repatriation, Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), and extradition matters. Notably, they affirmed their commitment to fortify the bilateral Revised Travel Arrangement (RTA) to facilitate smoother movement of citizens between the two nations.
Established in 2017, the India-Bangladesh Consular Dialogue Mechanism aims to enhance people-to-people contact by establishing a regular channel of communication on consular, visa, and mutual legal assistance cooperation matters.The dialogue saw a reaffirmation of the shared commitment to promoting people-to-people exchanges, with both parties expressing eagerness to convene the next round of talks in Dhaka at a mutually convenient date.
