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Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and the head of Bangladesh’s interim government, Muhammad Yunus, could meet on the sidelines of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) summit read more
 "Is a Modi-Muhammad Yunus meet coming up on September 4?")
PM Narendra Modi and head of Bangladesh's interim government Muhammad Yunus have the chance to meet in September 4. Agencies
The Bimstec summit in Bangkok is scheduled to take place on September 4. Muhammad Yunus, the interim head of the Bangladesh government, is expected to represent Bangladesh, and he may meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will represent India at the summit.
The Bimstec summit is being hosted in Thailand next month. The significance of this multilateral body, comprising India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar, has grown in recent years. Part of the reason for this is the inactivity of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) since 2016 due to India-Pakistan tensions.
India and Bangladesh have a lot to discuss, especially after the ousting of the New Delhi-friendly Sheikh Hasina.
India’s interests and points of discussion
For India, the three major concerns are China’s overtures towards nations in South Asia, the border with Bangladesh, and treatment of Hindu minorities there.
China has been trying to grow its footprint in the Bay of Bengal region for a while now. The country already has ports under its control in Myanmar and Sri Lanka. If Dhaka pivots towards Beijing instead of keeping its inclination towards New Delhi, that could further create difficulties for Bangladesh in what India considers its traditional zone of influence.
The other issue is Bangladeshis fleeing from the chaos that has gripped their nation.
Until Monday, India had arrested nearly a dozen Bangladeshis attempting to cross the border to escape violence and political tumult. Hundreds of people are still waiting along the frontier pleading for permission to cross into India.
The violence against the Hindu minority in Bangladesh is also a problem that New Delhi is concerned about. Hindus are the largest minority faith in Bangladesh. They are believed to be a steadfast support base for Hasina’s party, the Awami League. After her abrupt removal from power and escape to India, there have been numerous reports of attacks against Hindu households, temples, and businesses.
Yunus says many chances to heal rifts with India
“Although some countries, such as India, backed the ousted prime minister (Sheikh Hasina) and earned the enmity of Bangladeshi people as a result, there will be many opportunities to heal these kinds of rifts and to resume bilateral alliances and close friendships soon,” Yunus wrote in an article for The Economist.
India is one of Bangladesh’s foremost trade partners and has substantial investments in infrastructure there.
With inputs from agencies
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English (US) ·