Bangladesh request for Muhammad Yunus-PM Modi meeting under consideration, Parliamentary panel told

India considers meeting between interim Bangladesh government's Chief Advisor and PM Modi at BIMSTEC Summit, addressing concerns on various issues.

“Bangladesh’s request for a meeting between its interim government’s Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the upcoming BIMSTEC Summit is under consideration,” External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is learnt to have told a Parliamentary panel meeting in New Delhi.

“At this year’s first meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee for External Affairs on Saturday (March 22, 2025), several MPs raised concerns on attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh, asking what steps was India taking in this regard,” sources said.

Attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh not communal, issue ‘exaggerated’: Muhammad Yunus

They said Mr. Jaishankar informed the members that the interim government in Dhaka has claimed that the attacks on Hindus were "politically motivated" and not "minority targeted." Mr. Jaishankar briefed the MPs on ties with Bangladesh, the Maldives, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. He said he would speak about Pakistan and China separately at a later date.

Mr. Jaishankar was also learnt to have told the meeting that SAARC was inactive because of Pakistan's approach and thus India is trying to strengthen BIMSTEC (The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation).

“He indicated that Prime Minister Modi may attend the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok from April 2 to 4 in Thailand, but did not confirm the visit at the meeting,” the sources said. He also informed the meeting that Prime Minister Modi would visit Sri Lanka next month.

“Asked whether Mr. Modi is expected to meet Mr. Yunus and hold bilaterals with him on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC summit, Mr. Jaishankar remained non-committal saying it is under consideration,” the sources said.