First engagement since Hasina’s exit
Relations between India and Bangladesh, once considered robust under Hasina’s leadership, have cooled since her departure and subsequent asylum in India, as per Reuters.The former Bangladeshi leader fled the country following widespread student-led demonstrations that toppled her 16-year-old regime.
Read more: Assam CM calls Md Yunus remarks on Northeast states as ‘offensive’ and ‘provocative’
Dhaka has since made repeated requests for her extradition to face trial, which New Delhi has not officially responded to,
The meeting comes after previous attempts at engagement failed, including a formal request from Dhaka for a bilateral discussion on the sidelines if the UN General Assembly in New York last year, which did not materialise, reported PTI.
Concerns over security, regional remarks
India has voiced concern over increasing attacks on Hindu minorities and the release of radical elements in Bangladesh since the interim government assumed office.
These developments have added to India’s concerns over the political direction under Yunus’s leadership.
Read more: Bangladesh got ‘no official response’ from India on Sheikh Hasina’s extradition request: Muhammad Yunus
Further tension arose following the Bangladesh leader’s remarks at the Boao Forum for Asia in China, where he highlighted the landlocked nature of India’s northeastern states and described Bangladesh as the “only guardian of the ocean” in the region, reported PTI.
“This could be a huge opportunity and could be an extension of the Chinese economy,” Yunus said. The comments sparked strong reactions in New Delhi, prompting Dhaka to issue clarifications.
A cautious reset
The Friday meeting, also attended by the External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, is seen as a cautious step towards re-engagement. Bangladesh is poised to take over as the next chair of BIMSTEC.
According to Reuters, public opinion in Bangladesh has soured towards India over the Hasina asylum issue, even as the two countries have share deep historical, cultural, and economic ties.
With a shared 4,000 kilometre border and complex regional dynamics, the meeting signals a potential thaw in bilateral relations amidst growing strategic sensitivities.
(With agency inputs)
