Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (April 4) met the chief advisor of Bangladesh’s interim government, Muhammad Yunus, on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok.
This comes amid a stress in bilateral relations between New Delhi and Dhaka following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5 last year.
Prime Minister Modi expressed India’s concerns to the Bangladeshi leader regarding the safety of minorities in the neighbouring country.
He also suggested Dhaka to avoid “rhetoric that vitiates the environment”, weeks after Yunus’ remarks on the Northeast drew sharp responses from Indian leaders.
The two nations saw tensions in ties due to differences over the alleged instances of violence targeting Hindu minorities in Bangladesh and India’s decision to grant asylum to Sheikh Hasina.
“The Prime Minister reiterated India’s support for a democratic, stable, peaceful, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh. He underlined that India believed in a people-centric approach to the relationship and highlighted the cooperation between the two countries over a long period of time that has delivered tangible benefits to people in both countries. In this spirit, he once again underlined to Professor Yunus India’s desire to forge a positive and constructive relationship with Bangladesh based on pragmatism,” Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said.
“The Prime Minister also urged in this regard that any rhetoric that vitiates the environment is best avoided. On the border, strict enforcement of the law and prevention of illegal border crossing, especially at night, is necessary for maintaining border stability and security,” Misri said.
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The Foreign Secretary said that Prime Minister Modi underlined India’s concerns related to the safety and security of minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, and expressed his expectations that the government of Bangladesh would ensure their security. The Prime Minister also pressed for a thorough investigation into all cases of atrocities, he said.
