India does not support any particular party in Bangladesh, said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he met Bangladesh Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC summit in Bangkok today.
“Our relationship is people-to-people,” Modi told Yunus, according to a statement issued by the CA’s press wing following the first bilateral meeting between the two leaders since the fall of Awami League government through a mass uprising on August 5, last year.
Former PM Sheikh Hasina fled to India where she was sheltered by the Indian government.
Bangladesh in December last year sent a letter to India seeking to extradite Hasina who faces cases of mass killings and corruption back in Bangladesh.
The CA enquired about the status of Bangladesh’s request for the extradition of Hasina, which remains pending with the Indian government.
Yunus, who assumed the chairmanship of BIMSTEC, sought the support of India for a Free Trade Agreement among the seven members of the group.
He called for discussions to renew the Ganges Water Treaty and to conclude the Teesta Water Sharing Agreement.
Modi congratulated Yunus on his assumption of the BIMSTEC chairmanship, and he greeted him on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr.
The Indian Prime Minister said New Delhi has always attached “highest priority” to its relationship with Dhaka.
He said the history of the two neighbours is intricately linked, and it goes back to the birth of Bangladesh.
Modi recalled the global stature of Yunus and that India would always support a progressive, democratic and inclusive Bangladesh.
Although this was the first direct meeting between these two heads of government, Professor Yunus emphasised that the countries have remained engaged in numerous bilateral interactions over the past eight months.
Addressing the challenges facing the relationship between the two countries, Yunus said, “We seek to work together with you to set the relationship on the right track for the benefit of both our peoples.”
Take steps to prevent Hasina from making provocative statements, Yunus tells Modi
Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus today told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the former prime minister (Sheikh Hasina) had been making inflammatory remarks in various media outlets and attempting to destabilise the situation in Bangladesh, which seemed to be an abuse of the hospitality India has extended to her.
“She [Hasina] has consistently made false and inflammatory accusations against the interim government of Bangladesh,” Yunus told Modi.
“We request that the government of India take appropriate measures to restrain her from continuing to make such incendiary statements while she remains in your country,” he said, according to a statement issued by the CA’s press wing.
This was the first bilateral meeting between the two leaders since the fall of Hasina-led government through a mass uprising on August 5.
Yunus enquired about the status of Bangladesh’s request for the extradition of Hasina, which remains pending with the Indian government.
The CA also referenced the UN Human Rights Office’s Fact-Finding Report, which confirmed serious human rights violations and abuses committed by security forces and armed Awami League activists between July 15 and August 5, 2024.
He said the report estimated that 1,400 protest-related deaths occurred, with approximately 13 percent of the victims being children. He stated the report also found reasonable grounds to believe that crimes against humanity, such as murder, torture, and other inhumane acts, were committed during the protests.
The UN report notes that Hasina herself had ordered security forces to kill protesters and specifically instructed them to “arrest the ringleaders, kill them, and hide their bodies.”
In response, Indian PM blamed social media for the tensions around Sheikh Hasina’s remarks. He said India’s attachment is with a country, not with any individuals or political organisations.
Yunus also raised the issue of border killings and stressed the need for working together to reduce the number of fatalities. It would not only save many families great anguish but would also help to build trust and confidence and to strengthen the relationship between India and Bangladesh, he said.
“I always felt the pain when these killings happen,” Yunus said, urging India to find “ways and means” to prevent the incidents.
Modi said Indian border troops opened fire only in self-defence and the fatalities occurred in Indian territories. The two leaders stressed the need to work together on this issue.
The leaders of these two major South Asian countries greeted each other with mutual respect and a shared openness for dialogue. Their 40-minute exchange was candid, productive, and constructive.
“Bangladesh deeply values its relationship with India,” said Yunus.
“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 added.
Yunus-Modi meeting ‘a ray of hope’ in Dhaka-Delhi ties: Fakhrul
The meeting between Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has created a “ray of hope” for both countries, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said today.
Fakhrul made the remarks while responding to journalists’ questions at the BNP Chairperson’s office in Gulshan, in reaction to the high-level talks between the two nations.
“A side line meeting took place during BIMSTEC… It’s a matter of joy. We believe that, given the current geopolitical and global political context — as well as the regional dynamics between Bangladesh and India — the meeting between our Chief Adviser Dr Yunus and Indian Prime Minister Modi has created a ray of hope for us,” said Fakhrul.
Stating that there was some bitterness in Bangladesh-India relations, the BNP leader said the meeting holds the possibility of preventing further escalation or even curbing that bitterness.
“From what I’ve observed so far, both leaders seemed sincere, and this will undoubtedly benefit the people of Bangladesh and India — the citizens of both nations,” he added.
On Friday afternoon local time, Yunus held his first bilateral meeting with Modi on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC summit in Bangkok.
The half-hour-long discussion reportedly covered various issues of mutual interest, including the extradition of Sheikh Hasina, according to the CA’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, who briefed journalists afterwards.
Before speaking to reporters, the BNP spokesperson exchanged Eid greetings with party officials, organisational leaders, and athletes at the sports ground of the party chairperson’s office in Gulshan.
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