Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Muhammad Yunus, chief advisor to Bangladesh’s interim government, held a crucial meeting on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit on Thursday, marking their first official engagement since the political transition in Dhaka last year. The discussions, attended by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, covered a range of pressing bilateral concerns, including minority safety, regional rhetoric, and border security.
India’s Concerns Over Minority Safety in Bangladesh
Prime Minister Modi raised India’s apprehensions regarding the security of minorities, particularly Hindus, in Bangladesh. According to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of protecting vulnerable communities and called for a thorough investigation into reported incidents of violence.
“The Prime Minister reiterated India’s support for a democratic, stable, peaceful, progressive, and inclusive Bangladesh. He underlined that India believed in a people-centric approach to bilateral relations and highlighted the long-standing cooperation that has yielded tangible benefits for citizens on both sides,” Misri said in a press briefing following the meeting.
Call for Restraint on Sensitive Rhetoric
The discussions also touched upon recent controversial statements made by Yunus regarding India’s Northeast. Weeks after Yunus described Bangladesh as the “guardian of the ocean” for the landlocked northeastern states of India—remarks that sparked strong reactions from Indian leaders—Prime Minister Modi urged restraint on rhetoric that could harm diplomatic ties.
“The Prime Minister also urged in this regard that any rhetoric that vitiates the environment is best avoided. On the border, strict enforcement of the law and prevention of illegal border crossing, especially at night, is necessary for maintaining border stability and security,” Misri stated.
Tensions Over Yunus’ Remarks on Northeast India
Yunus’ comments during a visit to China earlier this year have added to the strain in Indo-Bangladesh relations. The Bangladesh leader had suggested that the seven northeastern states of India, often referred to as the “Seven Sisters,” were heavily reliant on Bangladesh for maritime access, adding that the region could be an extension of China’s economic corridor.
Reacting sharply, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma labeled the comments “offensive and strongly condemnable,” stressing the need for India to reinforce its connectivity with the Northeast to mitigate any perceived vulnerabilities.
“This remark underscores the persistent vulnerability narrative associated with India’s strategic ‘Chicken’s Neck’ corridor,” Sarma said, referring to the narrow Siliguri Corridor that connects the Northeast to mainland India. He urged the central government to prioritize developing alternative transportation networks that bypass the corridor to strengthen the region’s integration with the rest of the country.
