Yunus may hold bilateral talks with PM Modi at BIMSTEC Summit in Thailand

Dhaka, April 2 (IANS) The interim government in Bangladesh led by Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday hinted about the possibility of the first-ever bilateral talks between the Chief Advisor and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok, the media reported.

The Chief Advisor's High Representative on Rohingya and Priority Issues Khalilur Rahman on Wednesday said that the leaders of BIMSTEC member states will discuss their future works with Yunus. Hence, there is a scope to hold the meeting with Yunus and PM Modi.

“We requested India to hold this talk (between the leaders of two countries)... there is enough possibility of holding this meeting,” Rahman said, addressing a press briefing in Bangladesh ahead of the BIMSTEC Summit in Thailand.

The BIMSTEC Summit is being held in Bangkok, Thailand, from April 2-4.

On April 4, the BIMSTEC chairmanship will officially be handed over to Bangladesh.

Recently, PM Modi had written a letter to Yunus highlighting the significance of mutual sensitivity while referring to the Bangladesh Liberation War as a ‘shared history’.

PM Modi wrote the letter to commemorate the Bangladesh National Day and reiterated India's commitment to advancing the partnership between the two countries.

"I extend my felicitations to you and the people of Bangladesh on the occasion of the National Day of Bangladesh," the Prime Minister wrote.

"This day stands as a testament to our shared history and sacrifices that have laid the foundation of our bilateral partnership. The spirit of the Liberation War of Bangladesh continues to remain a guiding light for our relationship, which has flourished across multiple domains, bringing tangible benefits to our people," he stated

"We remain committed to advancing this partnership, driven by our common aspirations for peace, stability, and prosperity, and based on mutual sensitivity to each other's interests and concerns. Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration," the Prime Minister added.

Last month, Indian External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar held a series of meetings with his counterparts from the neighbouring countries, including Bangladesh, on the sidelines of the Indian Ocean Conference in Muscat, on Sunday.

"Met Foreign Affairs Advisor Md. Touhid Hossain of the Interim Government of Bangladesh. Conversation was focused on our bilateral relationship, as also on BIMSTEC," the EAM posted on X after his meeting with Hossain, the Foreign Affairs Advisor to the interim government in Bangladesh led by Muhammad Yunus.

EAM Jaishankar and Hossain had last met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September, marking the first high-level engagement between India and Bangladesh’s interim government after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ouster in August 2024.

The relations between India and Bangladesh have been tense after the Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina was toppled, and she was forced to flee to India.

The interim government that was formed after the change of guard is led by Nobel laureate and economist Muhammad Yunus. India continues to bat for the normalisation of relations between the two neighbouring countries, but the current regime in Dhaka has faced massive criticism for making groundless accusations and also targetting minorities, especially the Hindu community in Bangladesh. India has time and again shared its concerns with Bangladesh on this.

--IANS

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