Bangladesh hopes Yunus-Modi Bangkok meeting will break stalemate in relations

Dhaka has sent a letter to Delhi requesting a meeting between interim government chief adviser Dr Muhmmad Yunus and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi at the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit to be held next month.

Bangladesh hopes the stalemate in the bilateral relations between the two countries will break with the meeting between the two top leaders.

Foreign secretary Md Jasim Uddin said this while briefing newspersons at a press conference on chief adviser’s upcoming official visit to China and BIMSTEC Summit to be held in Thailand.

On 19 March, Bangladesh sent the letter regarding the bilateral meeting between the two leaders. Asked whether India has responded or not, secretary Jasim Uddin said, “Bangladesh is prepared for a meeting between Dr. Muhammad Yunus and Narendra Modi. Dhaka is waiting for a positive response from India. We can say on our part that we are ready for the meeting. We are waiting for India’s response.”

Asked whether Delhi is not prepared like Bangladesh, the foreign secretary said, “Delhi will answer that. However, we will be prepared for the meeting.”

Speaking regarding the probability of the meeting, “We are considering this meeting quite seriously given the situation of the bilateral relationships between the two countries. We hope that the stalemate in the relationships between the two countries will be broken if the meeting is held.”

Notably, the BIMSTEC summit will be held in Bangkok from 2 April to 4 April. Chief adviser of the interim government Dr. Yunus will reach Thailand on 3 April to attend the summit.

Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar during a parliamentary panel meeting in New Delhi said that Bangladesh’s request for the meeting between the two top leaders is under consideration.