Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen sitting side by side with Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus on Friday (April 03) marking the first time they are under one roof since Yunus took charge last July.

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The duo is set to hold a meeting on Friday (April 04). The meeting will take place on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC summit in Bangkok, Thailand, and comes at a time of heightened tensions between Delhi and Dhaka over attacks on minorities and the continued stay of former PM Sheikh Hasina in India.

BIMSTEC, which includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, focuses on economic and technical cooperation. Bangladesh is set to take over as the next chair.

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Bangladesh requested the meeting

According to media reports, Bangladesh formally requested the meeting, and India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has been considering the request.

Bangladesh, India ties

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India’s ties with Bangladesh have been uneasy since the overthrow of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government. After her removal from power following 15 years of leadership, she fled to India, adding another layer of strain to bilateral relations.

Muhammad Yunus assumed office after a four-day political vacuum, following Hasina’s ouster. PM Modi had a phone conversation with Yunus, in which he reiterated his call for the protection of Hindus and other minority communities in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh’s China and Pakistan tilt raises concerns

Further complicating matters, Yunus chose China for his first bilateral visit, signalling a potential shift in Bangladesh’s foreign policy. Add, Bangladesh’s growing ties with Pakistan, 54 years after independence, into the mix which further complicates the matters.

Last month, Yunus caused controversy by describing India’s northeast as “landlocked” and claiming that Bangladesh is the “only guardian of the ocean”, comments that did not sit well in Delhi.

Other key meetings at BIMSTEC

Apart from his meeting with Yunus, Modi is also expected to meet Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, following tensions over a delayed visit invitation. Additionally, the Indian PM is likely to hold talks with Myanmar’s junta leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

(With inputs from agencies)