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Bangladesh has reached out to India to facilitate a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and its Chief Adviser, Muhammad Yunus, on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok, scheduled to take place from 2 to 4 April.

 

Foreign Affairs Adviser to Bangladesh’s interim government, Md Touhid Hossain, confirmed the diplomatic approach, stating, "We have made a diplomatic approach to India to hold a bilateral meeting between our two leaders at the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit."

 

Yunus, who currently heads Bangladesh’s caretaker administration, is also expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on 28 March, as part of Dhaka’s broader diplomatic outreach.

 

The initiative follows a series of recent high-level exchanges between the two countries.

 

In February, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held discussions with Md Touhid Hossain during the Indian Ocean Conference in Oman, focusing on bilateral ties and cooperation under the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).

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Jaishankar later remarked on the meeting, posting on X: "Met Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain of the Interim Government of Bangladesh. Conversation was focused on our bilateral relationship, as also on (BIMSTEC)."

 

The Bangladesh Foreign Ministry also issued a statement, noting that both sides discussed bilateral issues of mutual concern.

 

The statement further highlighted that since their last engagement on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September 2024, India and Bangladesh have held multiple diplomatic interactions. 

 

These included the Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) at the Foreign Secretary level in Dhaka on 9 December 2024 and the participation of Bangladesh’s Energy Adviser in the India Energy Week in New Delhi on 10-11 February 2025.

 

With border security remaining a critical issue, both nations acknowledged the upcoming meeting of Directors General of Border Guarding Forces in New Delhi from 18 to 20 February. Officials anticipate discussions on various border-related matters.

 

Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser stressed the importance of renewing the Ganges Water Treaty, citing its role in regional water-sharing arrangements. He also urged India to consider convening a SAARC Standing Committee meeting, given the significance of regional cooperation.