Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting in Bangkok, the first such bilateral exchange between the leaders in a decade.

“Bangladesh deeply values its relationship with India,” said Professor Yunus. “The deep-rooted friendship between our two countries is founded on intertwined histories, geographical proximity, and cultural affinity. We remain thankful for the unwavering support of the government and people of India during our most challenging time in 1971.”

Yunus highlighted ongoing bilateral engagements over the past eight months and expressed his intent to reset the relationship positively. He requested India’s support for a BIMSTEC Free Trade Agreement and called for discussions on renewing the Ganges Water Treaty and concluding the Teesta Water Sharing Agreement.

Yunus raised the issue of Sheikh Hasina’s extradition, citing her inflammatory remarks and alleged destabilizing efforts. He also referenced the OHCHR Fact-Finding Report alleging crimes against humanity committed between July 15 and August 5, 2024, during protests. He urged India to restrain Hasina’s public commentary while she remains in Indian territory.

On border issues, Yunus stressed the need to reduce border killings and highlighted his own emotional connection to the issue, calling for cooperative efforts to prevent fatalities.

He responded to concerns about minority rights, calling the reports “hugely inflated” and encouraged India to send reporters to verify facts independently. He described his government’s monitoring system for incidents of religious and gender-based violence.

Concluding on a positive note, Yunus expressed optimism about Bangladesh’s BIMSTEC chairmanship and the potential for regional integration.

Vikram Misri, Indian Foreign Secretary in press Briefing 

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi met today with Professor Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Adviser of the interim government of Bangladesh.

The Prime Minister reiterated India’s support for a democratic, stable, peaceful, progressive, and inclusive Bangladesh. He emphasized that India believes in a people-centric approach to its relationship with Bangladesh and highlighted the long-standing cooperation between the two countries, which has delivered tangible benefits to the people of both nations.

In this spirit, the Prime Minister once again underlined to Professor Yunus India’s desire to forge a positive and constructive relationship with Bangladesh, grounded in pragmatism. He urged that any rhetoric which vitiates the environment is best avoided.

On the issue of border management, the Prime Minister stressed the need for strict enforcement of the law and the prevention of illegal border crossings, especially during the night, as essential for maintaining border security and regional stability.

There are a number of bilateral mechanisms between the two countries, and the Prime Minister noted that these mechanisms could meet as appropriate to review and advance mutual ties.

He also underlined India’s concerns regarding the safety and security of minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, and expressed his expectation that the Government of Bangladesh would ensure their protection — including by thoroughly investigating all reported atrocities committed against them.

The Prime Minister congratulated Bangladesh on assuming the chair of BIMSTEC, and looked forward to the forum further advancing regional cooperation under Bangladesh’s leadership.

The two leaders also exchanged views on other regional and global issues, and agreed to enhance consultations and cooperation to advance regional integration, including under the BIMSTEC framework.

Prime Minister Modi expressed his conviction that all issues of mutual interest between India and Bangladesh would continue to be addressed bilaterally, through constructive and forward-looking discussions, in the interest of the long-standing and mutually beneficial relationship between the two nations.”

Media Reports 

In Meeting with Yunus, PM Modi Raises Concerns Over Safety of Hindus in Bangladesh

Hindustan Times,

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus for the first time since ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India.

Modi underlined India’s concerns over the safety and security of minorities, including Hindus in Bangladesh, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. “Prime Minister Modi reiterated India’s support for a democratic, stable, peaceful, progressive, and inclusive Bangladesh. He underlined to Professor Yunus India’s desire to forge a positive and constructive relationship with Bangladesh. The Prime Minister also urged that any rhetoric that vitiates the environment is best avoided,” Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said.

“On the border, strict enforcement of the law and prevention of illegal border crossing are necessary to maintain border security and stability,” he added.

Muhammad Yunus took charge of Bangladesh in August 2024 after Sheikh Hasina was toppled by a student-led uprising and fled to India by helicopter.

Attacks on Minorities in Bangladesh

Hasina’s ouster was followed by reports of widespread attacks on minorities, including Hindus. The Government of India informed Parliament that over 2,400 minority-related incidents in Bangladesh were reported from August 5, 2024, to March 23, 2025, and that Bangladesh is expected to thoroughly investigate these cases and bring all perpetrators to justice without justifying any of these as politically motivated.

Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh stated that the Government of India has taken note of human rights violations of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh and raised the issue with the Government of Bangladesh on various occasions. On December 10, 2024, Bangladesh announced that 70 people had been arrested in 88 cases related to minority attacks; subsequent police investigations in January 2025 had verified 1,254 incidents.

Sheikh Hasina’s Extradition Raised During Modi–Yunus Talks, Says MEA

The Times of India,

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus discussed the extradition of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during their bilateral meeting in Thailand, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.

“Bangladesh has made a formal request regarding Sheikh Hasina. Saying anything more on this will not be correct right now,” said Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

The two leaders also discussed the issue of attacks on minorities, including Hindus, and illegal immigration. Misri added, “Prime Minister Modi reiterated India’s support for a democratic, stable, peaceful, progressive, and inclusive Bangladesh. He underlined to Professor Yunus India’s desire to forge a positive and constructive relationship with Bangladesh. The Prime Minister also urged that any rhetoric that vitiates the environment is best avoided. On the border, strict enforcement of the law and prevention of illegal border crossing are necessary to maintain border security. He also underlined India’s concerns over the safety and security of minorities, including Hindus in Bangladesh.”

The meeting in Bangkok marked the first interaction between the two leaders since Hasina’s ouster in August 2024. The talks took place on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC summit.

Earlier this year, Yunus claimed India had not provided an “official response” to Bangladesh’s extradition request. India previously confirmed it had received a formal note requesting Hasina’s extradition. Hasina stands accused of using police and security forces to abduct, torture, and kill hundreds of activists. She has denied the allegations, claiming she is the victim of political persecution.

Since Yunus took office, relations with India have cooled amid concerns in New Delhi over escalating violence against Hindus and the rising influence of hardline Islamist groups.

The situation further escalated when Yunus, during a visit to China, encouraged Beijing to increase its economic presence in Bangladesh and controversially suggested that India’s landlocked northeastern states could be leveraged for Chinese influence.

India’s Modi Urges Bangladesh Leader to Avoid Rhetoric That Mars Ties

 Reuters,

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus to avoid rhetoric that could damage bilateral relations during their first meeting since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.

Relations between the two countries, which were strong under Hasina, have deteriorated since she fled to India in August 2024 following mass student protests.

Yunus, who took over as Chief Adviser of the interim government, met Modi on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC summit in Bangkok.

“Prime Minister Modi urged that any rhetoric that vitiates the environment is best avoided,” said Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. He added, “Prime Minister Modi reiterated India’s support for a democratic, stable, peaceful, progressive, and inclusive Bangladesh,” and stressed India’s interest in maintaining a constructive relationship based on pragmatism.

Public opinion in Bangladesh has become more critical of India, partly due to its decision to offer Hasina refuge and its silence on the extradition request.

Atrocities

Both leaders discussed Bangladesh’s request for Hasina’s extradition, but Misri offered no further details.

Modi also called on Yunus to maintain border stability and expressed hope that Bangladesh would investigate all cases of atrocities committed against minorities, especially Hindus.

India has continued to press Bangladesh to safeguard its Hindu minority, claiming they are being targeted in the Muslim-majority country under Yunus. Dhaka has stated that the incidents have been exaggerated and are not of a communal nature.

“The hope would be that this meeting would start the process of rebuilding some engagement,” said Harsh Pant, Head of Foreign Policy at the Observer Research Foundation. “At this point, simply stabilising the relationship perhaps should be the priority.”

India and Bangladesh share a 4,000-km (2,500-mile) border and have deep-rooted cultural and economic ties. India played a critical role in the 1971 war that led to Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan.

Modi and Yunus met on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) summit, which also includes Thailand, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan.