Avoid rhetoric that vitiates environment, ensure safety of Hindus, Modi tells Yunus

New Delhi/BANGKOK: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met with Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of the interim government of Bangladesh, and cautioned against rhetoric that could strain bilateral ties and stressed the need to ensure the safety of Bangladesh’s Hindu minority.

The two leaders met on the sidelines of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral and Technical Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit in Bangkok, marking their first meeting since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ouster in August 2024 after a nation-wide stir against her government.

During the 40-minute meeting, PM Modi reiterated India’s support for a democratic, stable, peaceful, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh. Enunciating India’s people-centric approach to the relationship, the Prime Minister highlighted that cooperation between the two countries has brought tangible benefits to the people of both countries. He underlined India’s desire to forge a positive and constructive relationship with Bangladesh based on pragmatism.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval were also present. The Prime Minister raised with the Bangladeshi leader India’s concerns on the safety of minorities in the neighbouring country, including Hindus, and expressed his expectation that the Bangladeshi government would ensure their security, including by thoroughly probing the cases of atrocities committed against them. He also suggested Dhaka to avoid “rhetoric that vitiates the environment”, weeks after Yunus’ remarks on the Northeast drew sharp responses from Indian leaders.

“Prime Minister urged that rhetoric that vitiates the environment is best avoided. On the border, strict enforcement of the law and prevention of illegal border crossings, especially at night, are necessary for maintaining border security and stability. The bilateral mechanism could meet as appropriate to review and take forward our ties,’’ the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

He congratulated Bangladesh on assuming the Chair of BIMSTEC and looked forward to the forum further advancing regional cooperation under its leadership. The leaders agreed to enhance consultations and cooperation to advance regional integration, including under the BIMSTEC framework.

The Prime Minister expressed his conviction that all issues of mutual interest between the two countries would continue to be addressed and resolved bilaterally through constructive discussions in the interest of their long-standing and mutually beneficial bilateral relationship.

Bangladesh, which sought a meeting with PM Modi, raised the extradition of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The Bangladesh government, too, issued a statement on the conversation between the two leaders.

According to it, Yunus told Prime Minister Modi that Bangladesh “deeply values its relationship with India”. “The deep-rooted friendship between our two countries is founded on intertwined histories, geographical proximity, and cultural affinity. We remain thankful for the unwavering support of the government and people of India during our most

challenging time in 1971,” he said.

The Bangladeshi leader sought India’s support for a Free Trade Agreement among the seven BIMSTEC members and also called for discussions to renew the Ganges Water Treaty and to conclude the Teesta Water Sharing Agreement.

Responding to PM Modi’s concern over the condition of minorities in Bangladesh, Yunus said the reports of attacks on the minorities were inflated and “the bulk of them were fake news”. “The Chief Adviser said he has instituted an effective system for monitoring every incident of religious and gender violence in the country, and his government was taking serious actions to stop any occurrence of such incidents,” the statement said.

Relations between Delhi and Dhaka turned frosty since the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government was overthrown after a nationwide movement and an interim government took over. Sheikh Hasina fled to India, taking shelter in the country.

Yunus’ recent remarks on the Northeastern states in India stoked tensions between the two countries and drew strong responses from the region’s leaders.

Earlier, PM Modi wrote to Yunus on March 26, wishing Bangladesh on its Independence day. In his letter, the Prime Minister highlighted the significance of mutual sensitivity and said the Bangladesh Liberation War is a “shared history” between the two countries.

Though BIMSTEC was founded in 1997, it was PM Modi’s push to the grouping after 2016 when he took the initiative to invite BIMSTEC countries for a Leaders’ Retreat in Goa in 2016 on the side-lines of the BRICS Summit. Sources said it was his attention to nurturing and strengthening the grouping and through it, regional cooperation in the Bay of Bengal region. In 2019, he invited the BIMSTEC leaders for his swearing-in ceremony.

The BIMSTEC group relies on India’s leadership to advance its agenda. With India leading, PM’s focus on Neighbourhood First policy, Act East policy, MAHASAGAR vision and Vision for the Indo-Pacific imparts added dynamism to the group. This convergence of policies enunciated by India creates new synergies and benefits for the member countries.

The adoption of its charter in May last year has given BIMSTEC an institutional perspective and an international personality, establishing its guiding principles and basic institutional architecture. India appointed Indra Mani Pandey, a diplomat with vast experience in multilateral work as Secretary General. These developments have brought in new energy, purpose and action to the group’s work. India has focused on institutions and capacity building.

India hosted BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers Meeting in July 2024. It also hosted an informal meeting of BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers on the side-lines of UNGA in Sept 2024 in New York.

Under India’s leadership and direction, the BIMSTEC agenda has expanded manifold. BIMSTEC area of work has been categorised into seven segments, with each country leading one – India leads the security vertical while Bangladesh heads trade, investment and development.

India’s focus has been to promote regional integration for the larger global good and it has worked to create a strong legal framework to fight terrorism, violent extremism and transnational crimes in the region.

India also hosts the BIMSTEC Energy Centre in Bengaluru. The Centre coordinates the work towards creating BIMSTEC regional grid interconnection. This is in line with PM Modi’s ‘One World, One Sun, One Grid’ vision.

Two of the Goa Retreat 2016 decisions are being unveiled in Bangkok – one, the adoption of the BIMSTEC Vision 2030, and the adoption of the BIMSTEC Eminent Persons Group report.