Dynamite News Indian PM Narendra Modi to Meet Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus at BIMSTEC Summit
Indian PM Narendra Modi will hold his first meeting with Bangladesh's interim leader Muhammad Yunus in Thailand today. The talks come amid tensions over minority rights and Yunus's recent comments on India's Northeast. Read more at Dynamite News
Thailand: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Thailand today. This marks their first meeting since Bangladesh’s interim government took charge after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s departure last July.
On Thursday evening, PM Modi and Yunus were seated together at a dinner hosted by Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, with Nepal’s PM KP Sharma Oli also present. According to Bangladesh media, the two leaders exchanged greetings.
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The meeting gains significance amid recent tensions over violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh and Yunus’s controversial remarks on India’s Northeast during a China visit. Earlier, PM Modi emphasized the Northeast as the "heart of BIMSTEC."
Experts believe that Bangladesh strategically abuts seven sister states of India, an area of political, security and economic interest to India. Therefore, India has carefully broached the issue by avoiding overt anti-Bangladesh posturing in the region.
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Thailand released a special stamp featuring 18th-century Ramayana murals to honor his visit. Modi was also gifted a special edition of the Tripitaka, a revered Buddhist scripture. PM Modi watched a Thai adaptation of the Ramayana, blending Indian Kathakali and Thai Khon dance styles, calling it a "cultural connect like no other."
PM Modi will visit Wat Pho, famous for its reclining Buddha statue, before meeting King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida. He then heads to Colombo for a 3-day Sri Lanka visit, focusing on defense, energy, and connectivity deals. A major defense cooperation pact is expected to be signed with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.