Bangladesh Foreign Minister, Home Minister cancel visit

New Delhi: Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abdul Momin and Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan have cancelled their visit to India. Foreign Minister Abdul Momin was scheduled to visit India from December 12 to 14 while Khan was scheduled to visit on December 13.

Sources in the Bangladesh High Commissioner stated that Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan's visit has also been cancelled. His schedule was pre-planned, although no reason has been given for the trip to be cancelled.

However, according to reports, Foreign Minister Abdul Momin blamed the internal situation in the country for cancelling his tour.

A news agency was quoted as saying by Momin: "I had to participate in the intellectuals meet and Victory Day programmes in Delhi but our Minister of State is in Madrid and Foreign Secretary in The Hague. So I have to cancel my visit."

Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar said: "We know that Bangladesh Foreign Minister has cancelled the visit. He has also given the reason for his absence. We should accept their point. As far as the relationship between the two countries is concerned, they are strong. I do not think there will be any difference in the relationship between the two countries."

"Any speculation that this development is connected with legislation adopted by Parliament on Wednesday regarding the Citizenship Amendment Bill is unwarranted," Kumar said, adding ties between the two countries were going through a "golden phase".

On Wednesday, Momen said in Dhaka that the Citizenship Bill could weaken India's historic character as a secular nation and rejected the allegations that the minorities faced religious persecution in his country.

With agency inputs

(Image from newsnation.com)