A video capturing an Indian diplomat objecting to an inaccurate map of India at a seminar in Bangladesh has gained widespread attention on social media. The incident occurred during a seminar titled ‘Rebuilding Trust, Renewing Regional Integration: Pathways for Revitalising SAARC’ at the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) in Dhaka. The objection arose when a former Bangladesh High Commissioner to India displayed a map showing Jammu and Kashmir as part of Pakistan.
Pooja Kumari Jha, Second Secretary at the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, promptly intervened, emphasizing that the map was incorrect and asserting that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. In response, the former High Commissioner clarified that the map was for representational purposes only and did not reflect actual boundaries. Despite the clarification, Jha reiterated India’s stance on the issue.
The exchange between Jha and the former High Commissioner highlighted India’s position on Jammu and Kashmir and its objection to the misrepresentation of India’s territorial boundaries. Following Jha’s intervention, the former High Commissioner acknowledged the objection, which has since garnered significant online attention. Social media users have praised the Indian diplomat for her swift action in correcting the map during the seminar.
The seminar was attended by Bangladesh’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed as the chief guest. Obaed emphasized the importance of enhanced regional cooperation in South Asia and proposed measures to strengthen the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). She discussed confidence-building initiatives with SAARC member states and potential engagements with SAARC envoys and the SAARC Secretariat to revitalize the organization.
