Dhaka: Bangladesh has reached out to India to facilitate a meeting between its Chief Adviser, Muhammad Yunus, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bangkok during the first week of April.
The two leaders are expected to be in Thailand from April 2-4 for the sixth BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok.
In a statement to ANI, Md Touhid Hossain, the Foreign Affairs Adviser to Bangladesh's interim government, mentioned, "We have initiated a diplomatic request to India for a bilateral meeting between our leaders on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit."
Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus is also anticipated to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on March 28.
Earlier in February, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with Bangladesh's Foreign Affairs Adviser Hossain during the Indian Ocean Conference in Oman.
Jaishankar noted that their discussions centered on the bilateral relations between the two nations and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).
"Had a meeting with Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain of the Interim Government of Bangladesh. Our conversation focused on our bilateral relationship and BIMSTEC," Jaishankar shared on X.
Additionally, the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry released a statement indicating that both sides addressed various bilateral issues of mutual concern and interest.
Reflecting on their previous encounter during the UN General Assembly in September 2024, both parties acknowledged that since that time, the two nations have engaged in several bilateral activities. Notably, Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between Bangladesh and India took place in Dhaka on December 9, 2024, and the Energy Adviser from Bangladesh attended the India Energy Week events in New Delhi on February 10-11, 2025, among other engagements, as stated.
Additionally, both sides mentioned that meetings involving the Directors General of the Border Guarding Forces from both countries are set to occur in New Delhi from February 18 to 20. They expressed hope that various border-related matters would be addressed and resolved during these discussions, according to the statement.
India and Bangladesh acknowledged the challenges they face in their bilateral relations and emphasized the need for collaboration to tackle these issues, as noted in the statement.
The Foreign Affairs Adviser of Bangladesh underscored the significance of initiating discussions for the renewal of the Ganges Water Treaty. He also stressed the importance of convening a meeting of the SAARC Standing Committee and requested the Government of India to consider this matter.
