Bangladesh: In first meeting with Md Yunus, PM Modi pushes for minorities’ safety
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: In his first meeting with Mohammed Yunus, following the ouster of his predecessor, Sheikh Hasina Wajed, in August 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday stressed that Dhaka must provide security to the Muslim country’s minorities, according to the media.
Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, 85, met PM Modi on Friday on the sidelines of the ongoing Summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) in Bangkok, where they discussed key bilateral issues, including the security of minorities in Bangladesh and the potential extradition of former PM Sheikh Hasina, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said in a press briefing.
During the meeting, PM Modi expressed India’s concerns regarding the safety of the minorities in Bangladesh, particularly the Hindu community, and urged the Yunus-led government to ensure their protection. He emphasised the importance of thoroughly investigating reported atrocities against minority groups to uphold their security and rights.
Misri said, “Prime Minister Modi underlined India’s concerns regarding the safety and security of minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus. He conveyed the expectation that the Bangladeshi government would ensure their protection through detailed investigations into cases of violence and discrimination.”
The meeting marked the first high-level engagement between India and Bangladesh since the ouster of the then elected PM Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. Bilateral relations between the two nations have faced strains in recent months, particularly over issues related to violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh and India’s decision to grant asylum to Hasina. Meanwhile, Bangladesh has moved closer to India’s enemies—China and Pakistan—and tried to erase the 1971 War of Liberation against Pakistan.
PM Modi reiterated India’s commitment to a stable and democratic Bangladesh, emphasising a people-centric approach to bilateral relations. “He highlighted the longstanding cooperation between the two countries that has delivered tangible benefits to both nations and expressed India’s desire to forge a positive and constructive relationship with Bangladesh based on pragmatism,” Misri added.
In their bilateral talks, border security was also on the agenda, with PM Modi stressing the need for strict enforcement of laws and measures to curb illegal border crossings, particularly at night, to maintain stability and security along the India-Bangladesh border.
While the issue of Hasina’s extradition was raised during the discussions, Misri declined to provide specific details, stating that it was not appropriate to comment on the matter at this time.
He reiterated that India had received an official request from Bangladesh regarding the extradition, but further developments on the issue remain unclear.
