Bangkok [Thailand], April 2: Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary, Md Jashim Uddin, confirmed on Wednesday that Bangladesh has requested a meeting with the Indian side and remains optimistic about its occurrence.
Speaking to ANI ahead of the BIMSTEC Summit, Uddin responded to reports regarding Bangladesh’s request for a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus at the event.
“There has been a request from our side, and we certainly hope that this will take place,” Uddin said.
Bangladesh Delegation at BIMSTEC Summit
A five-member delegation from Bangladesh, led by Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin, participated in the 25th Session of the BIMSTEC Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM), which began on Wednesday in Bangkok. This meeting is a precursor to the 6th BIMSTEC Summit, scheduled for April 4, 2025.
Thailand, as the host nation, has made extensive preparations for the upcoming summit, which aims to strengthen regional cooperation.
India-Bangladesh Diplomatic Engagements
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Thailand for the summit and hold bilateral talks with his Thai counterpart, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, on April 3.
On Tuesday, PM Modi extended Eid-ul-Fitr greetings to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and the people of Bangladesh. Yunus shared Modi’s letter on social media platform X, acknowledging the message of goodwill.
Awaiting Confirmation of Modi-Yunus Meeting
Earlier, on March 20, Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser, Md Touhid Hossain, revealed that a diplomatic request had been made to India for a bilateral meeting between PM Modi and Yunus on the sidelines of BIMSTEC.
However, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has not yet confirmed any such meeting. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated on March 21, “I do not have any update to share at this point in time.”
About BIMSTEC
The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) was established on June 6, 1997, through the Bangkok Declaration, with Thailand playing a foundational role. The organization connects South and Southeast Asian nations with deep-rooted economic and cultural ties.
This year’s summit, themed “BIMSTEC—Prosperous, Resilient, and Open,” will focus on enhancing regional collaboration in trade, security, and connectivity.