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This is the first meeting between the two leaders since the ouster of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
PM Modi meets Bangladesh’s Muhammad Yunus in Thailand.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Thailand. Notably, this is the first meeting between the two leaders since the ouster of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The Prime Minister asserted that India remains committed to a constructive and people-centric relationship with Bangladesh, after bilateral relations were strained following Sheikh Hasina’s ouster and reported atrocities on minorities, particularly Bangladeshi Hindus.
“I reiterated India’s support for peace, stability, inclusivity and democracy in Bangladesh. Discussed measures to prevent illegal border crossings and expressed our serious concern for the safety and well-being of Hindus and other minorities,” he added.
Met Mr. Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of the interim government of Bangladesh. India remains committed to a constructive and people-centric relationship with Bangladesh.I reiterated India’s support for peace, stability, inclusivity and democracy in Bangladesh. Discussed… pic.twitter.com/4UQgj8aohf
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 4, 2025
Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, “PM Modi reiterated India’s support for democratic, stable, peaceful, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh. He underlined Prof. Yunus India’s desire to forge a positive and constructive relationship with Bangladesh. The PM also urged that any rhetoric that vitiates the environment is best avoided. On the border strict enforcement of the law and prevention of illegal border crossing are necessary to maintain border security and security. The PM also underlines India’s concerns over the safety and security of minorities, including Hindus in Bangladesh.”
Row Over Muhammad Yunus’s Remarks On Northeast
The bilateral meeting between the two leaders comes amid diplomatic tensions after Muhammad Yunus’s comment on India’s Northeastern states during his recent visit to the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) annual conference in China.
Muhammad Yunus said that India’s Northeast was “landlocked” and had “no way to reach out to the ocean,” presenting Bangladesh as the primary gateway for the region’s maritime access.
“The seven states of India, the eastern part of India, are called the seven sisters. They are a landlocked region of India. They have no way to reach out to the ocean,” he said.
Encouraging Beijing to expand its economic influence in Bangladesh, calling the country the “only guardian of the ocean” in the region, Bangladesh signed nine agreements with China and securing a $2.1 billion financial package.
The remark was condemned by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar who said, “Our northeastern region in particular is emerging as a connectivity hub for the BIMSTEC, with a myriad network of roads, railways, waterways, grids and pipelines.”
Dhaka Requested Meeting With PM Modi
Dhaka had requested a bilateral meeting with New Delhi on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC meet but PM Modi’s official schedule in Thailand did not mention the requested meeting. Bangladesh foreign secretary Md. Jashim Uddin had earlier said, “From our side, we are fully ready for the meeting. Now, we await a positive response from India” as he acknowledged the existing “strain” in bilateral relations.
Earlier, the two leaders were seen seated together at the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) dinner in Bangkok, Thailand.