By IANS,
New Delhi : Seeking to assuage hurt feelings in Dhaka, the government Saturday clarified that Home Minister P. Chidambaran could not receive Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed during her visit to Teen Bigha corridor early this week due to a family emergency.
Chidambaram was scheduled to receive Sheikh Hasina on her arrival at Teen Bigha in Cooch Behar district of West Bangladesh Wednesday. But he could not come as his 91-year-old mother suffered a fall and fractured her hip for which surgery was scheduled the next morning (19th October).
The external affairs ministry said in a statement: “Due to the family emergency the home minister had to rush to Chennai to be by her side.”
The ministry clarified that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was in Pretoria to attend the IBSA summit, asked Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to receive the Bangladesh prime minister.
“India has the highest regard and affection for Sheikh Hasina and the people of Bangladesh, and considers it an honour that she decided to pay a personal visit to Bangladesh territory in Angarpota and Dahagram through the Teen Bigha Corridor,” the ministry said.
The government of West Bengal was kept fully advised about the programme of the distinguished visitor as soon as intimation on this was received from the government of Bangladesh. The home ministry had also been in touch with concerned authorities in the government of West Bengal,” the ministry said.
The reaction came in the wake of adverse media reports in Bangladesh about the absence of senior ministers from during Sheikh Hasina’s visit. It was portrayed by some sections of the Indian media as a public relations disaster and a snub.
The detailed explanation of Chidambaram’s absence showed that India was not ready to take any chances with its growing ties with Bangladesh, which has improved considerably under Sheikh Hasina’s leadership.
There was no official reaction from Dhaka, but sources disclosed that senior officials and ministers conveyed their sense of disappointment to media in Bangladesh over this perceived disregard for protocol.