Published :
Updated :
For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
A bilateral meeting between Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to take place on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC summit, scheduled for November.
Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain made the comment on Tuesday during a press conference regarding Bangladesh’s participation in the UN General Assembly and other contemporary issues.
He added that he met with India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New York but was unable to arrange a meeting at the highest level, as Prime Minister Modi left New York the day before Dr Yunus arrived.
Modi will not attend the Commonwealth Summit scheduled for October 21-26 in Apia, Samoa, as he will be attending the BRICS summit instead, which is of greater importance to India.
Additionally, Dr Yunus will not attend the Commonwealth Summit.
Touhid Hossain indicated that a possible meeting might take place next month during the BIMSTEC summit. Although the date has not been finalised, it is expected to be in November, when bilateral meetings could occur.
He also mentioned that they will seek to address mutual concerns through various levels of communication.
The BIMSTEC summit was initially scheduled for September.
BIMSTEC, or the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand as member states.
Established on June 6, 1997, with the signing of the Bangkok Declaration, BIMSTEC is the only organisation that brings together five countries from South Asia and two from Southeast Asia. Collectively, they account for 22 per cent of the world's population, with a combined GDP of $4.5 trillion.
Following a decision at the Third BIMSTEC Summit in 2014, the BIMSTEC Secretariat was established in Dhaka, providing an institutionalised framework for deepening and enhancing cooperation.
Seven countries lead seven sectors: Bangladesh leads trade, investment, and development, including the blue economy; Bhutan leads environment and climate change, including the mountain economy; India leads security, including energy and disaster management; Myanmar leads agriculture and food security, including fisheries and livestock; Nepal leads people-to-people contact, including poverty alleviation; Sri Lanka leads science, technology, and innovation, including health and human resource development; and Thailand leads connectivity.
After the summit, Bangladesh will assume the chairmanship of BIMSTEC.
Responding to a question, the Foreign Adviser said the issue of Sheikh Hasina’s extradition was not discussed during his meeting with Indian counterpart S Jaishankar on the sidelines of the UNGA.
He also expressed optimism that the Indian visa centre would resume normal operations soon.
Responding to another question, the Foreign Adviser said that if Pakistan found the courage to apologise for its actions in Bangladesh in 1971, relations with them could be normalised.
However, he said that this issue has not been an obstacle to restoring normal bilateral ties, as evidenced by the past 52 years.
"But whenever we hold bilateral meetings, the issue of seeking an apology will be raised by Bangladesh," he added.