PM Modi Writes to Yunus on Bangladesh National Day, Stresses Stronger Ties Before BIMSTEC Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written a letter to Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser, Muhammad Yunus, to celebrate the National Day of Bangladesh. While stating the significance of sensitivity between the two countries, PM Modi referred to the Bangladesh Liberation War as a “shared history.”

The letter was issued a week ahead of the first meeting between the two leaders at the BIMSTEC Summit in Thailand.

Political Changes in Bangladesh Affect Relations

Muhammad Yunus became president last year after previous Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted amid violent demonstrations. A close friend of India, Hasina is now in hiding in New Delhi, a development that has strained the two countries’ relations. The government of Bangladesh is actively pursuing her prosecution.

Modi Calls for Stronger Bilateral Relations

Reiterating India’s commitment to developing robust relations with Bangladesh, PM Modi said that the National Day symbolizes “our common history and sacrifices, which have formed the foundation of our bilateral partnership.” He also said, “The spirit of the Liberation War of Bangladesh still remains a beacon of guidance for our relationship, which has blossomed in various fields, yielding tangible dividends for our people.”

BIMSTEC Summit Meeting Still Uncertain

Though Dhaka has sought a bilateral meeting between PM Modi and Yunus on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit on April 3-4, New Delhi is yet to confirm. While speaking at a Parliamentary Committee, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said that India’s bilateral interactions during the event would be made public later, according to a report by The Times of India.

India Reiterates Support for Bangladesh

At the same time, President Droupadi Murmu also wished her Bangladeshi counterpart, Mohammed Shahabuddin, stressing India’s vision for a progressive and stable Bangladesh.

“India-Bangladesh relations are multi-dimensional with our cooperation cutting across various fields like trade, multimodal connectivity, development partnership, power and energy, education, capacity building, cultural cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges. Bangladesh is at the center of India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ and ‘Act East’ policies, its SAGAR doctrine, and the Indo-Pacific Vision,” she penned.

The events of Bangladesh’s political transition and India’s strategic alignment will probably be instrumental in shaping future diplomatic interactions between the two countries.