NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus were spotted sitting together at the BIMSTEC dinner table, sitting next to each other, amid the deteriorating ties between the two countries since the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August last year. As per the PTI news agency, PM Modi is expected to hold talks with Yunus here on Friday. PM Modi arrived in Thailand on Thursday to attend the 6th BIMSTEC Summit (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation). At the dinner table, along with PM Modi and Yunus, Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli was also sitting there.
The encounter between Modi and Yunus holds importance due to the deteriorating relations between India and Bangladesh following Hasina's removal and the persecution of minority communities in Bangladesh. The visit came at the time when Yunus came back from China, where his comments about India's northeastern region caused diplomatic tension. During his recent China visit, Yunus encouraged Chinese economic expansion into Bangladesh, making contentious observations about India's northeastern states' landlocked status as a potential advantage.
In his meeting with President Xi Jinping, where nine agreements were signed, Yunus stated, "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 described Bangladesh as the "only guardian of the ocean" regionally, suggesting this could benefit Chinese economic expansion. This statement gained attention on social media platforms on Monday.
Indian politicians across the spectrum criticised these remarks, labelling them as "shameful" and "provocative". Meanwhile, senior aide of Yunus defended him on Wednesday saying his recent comment on India's Northeast was "misinterpreted." "He (Yunus) made the statement with honest intentions. If people interpret it differently, we cannot prevent it," Khalilur Rahman, the High Representative to Bangladesh's chief adviser Yunus for the Rohingya issue and other priorities, told media persons, according to Bangladesh's Daily Star newspaper.
In Short - PM, Yunus likely to hold bilateral meet on sidelines of BIMSTEC summit - India-Bangladesh ties strained post-Sheikh Hasina ouster in 2024 - Meeting would come against backdrop of Yunus's recent remark on northeast.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh's interim government Chief Adviser, Muhammad Yunus, were seen sitting side by side at an official dinner hosted by Thai PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra ahead of the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) summit. Their seating arrangement has fuelled speculation about a possible bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the regional gathering.
Apart from PM Modi, BIMSTEC summit will see the participation of leaders from Thailand, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar, and Bhutan. The summit also brought PM Modi face-to-face with Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus. The ties between India and Bangladesh has seen a slump since last year after India voiced concerns over violence against Hindus and minorities in Bangladesh following the ouster of then prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.
The meeting between the two leaders would come against the backdrop of Yunus’ recent remarks about the Northeast India, which provoked a sharp reaction from the government. During his recent visit to China, Yunus described India's Northeast as 'landlocked' with "no way to reach out to the ocean," positioning Bangladesh as the region's primary maritime gateway.
He also requested Beijing to expand its economic influence in Bangladesh, calling the country the "only guardian of the ocean" in the region. Political leaders in India slammed Yunus's remarks. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma denounced the statements as "offensive and unacceptable". Sarma also cautioned that Yunus's remarks reignited debates over the strategic "Chicken's Neck" corridor, the narrow land strip in West Bengal linking the Northeast to the rest of India.
Former Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh accused Bangladesh's interim government of viewing India's Northeast as a "strategic pawn" and cautioned Yunus against making 'irresponsible' remarks on India's sovereignty.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet Bangladesh Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus on Friday (April 4, 2025), for the first time since the interim government took charge after the ouster of former PM Sheikh Hasina last July. The meeting, on the side-lines of the BIMSTEC summit in Bangkok, Thailand, is significant as it follows months of tensions between Dhaka and Delhi over attacks on minorities and Ms. Hasina’s continued stay in India.
Sources in both capitals confirmed the meeting will take place around noon on Friday (April 4, 2025). The two leaders are expected to meet informally on Thursday (April 3, 2025) at a reception hosted by Thai PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Ahead of his departure for the two-day visit to Thailand for the regional summit, Mr. Modi said he would meet his counterparts without any specific mentions of which leaders he would meet.
Mr. Modi is also expected to meet Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli, after months of tensions with the government in Kathmandu over a delay in inviting Mr. Oli for a visit. In a break from the past, both Mr. Oli and Mr. Yunus have visited Beijing first in the absence of an invitation to Delhi. The Hindu reported earlier this week that Bangladesh had requested a visit and Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Jashimuddin had confirmed a request for a Modi-Yunus meeting in Bangkok.
Modi’s meeting with Yunus assumes significance as the ties between India and Bangladesh have declined since the ouster of Hasina and the attacks on minorities in that country. Questions were also raised in certain quarters over the extent of control Yunus has over the administration in Bangladesh.
The meeting also comes against the backdrop of Yunus’ recent visit to China, where he made certain remarks about the northeastern region, which did not go well with India. Prime Minister Modi wrote to Yunus on Bangladesh’s national day on March 26, saying India remained committed to advancing its partnership with Dhaka. The Prime Minister underscored the importance of the Liberation War of Bangladesh, which was the guiding light of India's partnership with Dhaka.
As the BIMSTEC summit unfolds, all eyes will be on the interactions between these leaders, particularly in light of the recent tensions and the need for diplomatic dialogue to address the challenges facing both nations.
