Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a meeting with Bangladesh’s interim Chief Adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus, in Bangkok, expressed India’s concerns regarding the safety and security of minorities, particularly Hindus, in Bangladesh. The meeting, which occurred on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit, also saw the presence of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
Modi conveyed India’s support for a democratic, stable, peaceful, and inclusive Bangladesh, while emphasizing the importance of fostering a positive and constructive bilateral relationship. He specifically urged Yunus to ensure the protection of minorities and conduct thorough investigations into reported atrocities.
The meeting, the first since the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August, addressed several critical issues. According to Bangladesh officials, discussions included the potential extradition of Hasina, her presence in India, and her “incendiary comments.” Yunus, in turn, raised concerns about the Teesta river-water sharing agreement, renewal of the Ganga treaty, and border killings. Both sides described the meeting as “constructive, productive, and fruitful.”
The meeting comes amidst heightened strategic tensions following Yunus’s recent remarks in China, where he described Northeast India as a “landlocked region” and asserted Bangladesh’s role as the “only guardian of the ocean for all this region.” Jaishankar, in a rare public response, emphasized that “cooperation is an integrated outlook, not one subject to cherry-picking,” highlighting India’s focus on comprehensive regional connectivity.
Jaishankar, addressing the BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting, underscored the Northeast’s emergence as a connectivity hub, citing the Trilateral Highway as a “game-changer” that will connect India’s Northeast to the Pacific Ocean. He stressed the importance of facilitating the smooth flow of goods, services, and people within the BIMSTEC region.
Yunus’s comments in China, promoting the “extension of the Chinese economy” through Bangladesh’s access to Northeast India, have raised concerns in Delhi. India’s strategic interest in maintaining unimpeded access to its Northeast states, through the “Chicken’s Neck” corridor in West Bengal, adds another layer of complexity to the bilateral relationship.
The meeting highlights the delicate balance India seeks to maintain, addressing security concerns while navigating strategic complexities in its relationship with Bangladesh.
