Indian diplomat Pooja Kumari Jha challenged an incorrect map of India shown at a Dhaka seminar on Friday.
The map presented by former Bangladesh High Commissioner Ahmed Tariq Karim depicted Jammu and Kashmir as part of Pakistan.
Jha, serving as the Second Secretary at the Indian High Commission, asserted that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.
Indian diplomat Pooja Kumari Jha objected to an incorrect map of India shown at a Dhaka seminar on Friday. The map depicted Jammu and Kashmir as part of Pakistan.
Jha serves as the Second Secretary at the Indian High Commission in Dhaka. She intervened during an event at the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) auditorium at the seminar titled "Rebuilding Trust, Renewing Regional Integration: Pathways for Revitalising SAARC".
"Sir, this is an incorrect map. Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India," Jha said during the presentation.
Diplomatic Exchange Detailed
The exchange unfolded during a slide presentation delivered by former Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Ahmed Tariq Karim.
Karim responded to Jha's intervention, stating the map was used "for representational purposes only" and "doesn't project actual boundaries".
"I understand, sir, but Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and it is misrepresented here. So I wanted to point it out," Jha said.
Karim then asked if she was from India after which Jha identified herself as an official from the Indian High Commission. "Point noted," Karim replied before resuming his presentation.
A video of the exchange circulated widely on social media. Many Indian users praised the diplomat for her swift response. They commended her for defending the country's territorial integrity and reiterating that Jammu and Kashmir remains an inalienable part of India.
Bangladesh Outlines SAARC Revival
The seminar covered broader regional issues with Shama Obaed, Bangladesh's State Minister for Foreign Affairs, present as the chief guest.
The State Minister urged South Asian nations to strengthen regional ties highlighting the need to align the actual performance of the region with its true potential. To revive the grouping, Obaed suggested boosting its financial resources and execution capabilities.
"The organisation needs stronger implementation capacity, greater financial strength, more effective specialised mechanisms and a practical culture of follow-up," Obaed said.
Obaed revealed Bangladesh is considering calibrated confidence-building initiatives to revive regional engagement. "It is in this spirit that we are considering a calibrated set of confidence-building initiatives in the coming months, subject to consultation with the SAARC member states. They may include engagement with the Ambassadors and High Commissioners of SAARC countries based in Dhaka.
We will also hold consultations with the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu regarding the convening of a senior officials meeting and the possibility of a special session of the Council of Ministers," she said.
