Bangladesh approaches India for PM Modi-Yunus talks at BIMSTEC Bangkok Summit

DHAKA: Bangladesh has approached India to arrange a meeting between its chief adviser, Muhammad Yunus, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bangkok in the first week of April. The two leaders are likely to visit Thailand from April 2-4 to attend the sixth BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok.

Foreign Affairs Adviser to the interim government of Bangladesh, Md Touhid Hossain, said, “We have made a diplomatic approach to India to hold bilateral meeting between our two leaders at the sidelines of BIMSTEC Summit.” Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on March 28.

Earlier in February, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a meeting with Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Advisor Hossain on the sidelines of Indian Ocean Conference in Oman. Informing about his meeting, Jaishankar said that the talks were focused on the bilateral relationship between two countries and Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).

“Met Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain of the Interim Government of Bangladesh. Conversation was focused on our bilateral relationship, as also on (BIMSTEC)”, Jaishankar wrote on X. Meanwhile, Bangladesh Foreign Ministry also issued a statement, where it stated that two sides discussed on various bilateral issues of mutual concerns and interests.

Recalling their last meeting on the sidelines of UNGA in September 2024, both noted that since then the two countries have participated at various bilateral engagements – Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between Bangladesh and India at the level of Foreign Secretaries was conducted in Dhaka on 9th December 2024, Energy Adviser of Bangladesh participated at the India Energy Week events in New Delhi on 10-11 February 2025, among others, the statement said.

Both sides also noted that meetings at the level of Directors General of Border Guarding Forces of the two countries are scheduled to be held in New Delhi on February 18-20. They hoped that various border-related issues would be discussed and resolved during the meeting, the statement said.

India and Bangladesh recognized the challenges the two neighbours are facing in terms of bilateral relations and discussed about the necessity to work together to address those, the statement said.

Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser emphasized the importance of initiating the discussion for renewal of the Ganges Water Treaty, the statement said. He also highlighted the importance of holding the meeting of the SAARC Standing Committee and requested consideration of the Government of India in this regard. (ANI)