External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has informed a Parliamentary panel that Bangladesh’s request for a meeting between its interim government’s Chief Adviser, Muhammad Yunus, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the upcoming BIMSTEC Summit is currently under consideration.
During the first Parliamentary Consultative Committee for External Affairs meeting of the year, held on Saturday, several Members of Parliament (MPs) expressed concerns about attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh and questioned the steps India was taking to address the issue, sources revealed.
Jaishankar reportedly told the committee that Bangladesh’s interim government has asserted that these incidents were politically motivated rather than specifically targeting minorities.
The External Affairs Minister briefed the committee on India’s relations with Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and the Maldives, while mentioning that discussions on Pakistan and China would take place separately at a later date.
He also pointed out that the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) remains inactive due to Pakistan’s stance, which is why India is actively working to strengthen BIMSTEC (The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation).
Jaishankar hinted that Prime Minister Modi might attend the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok, scheduled for April 2–4, but did not confirm the visit. He also mentioned that Modi is expected to visit Sri Lanka next month.
When asked whether the Prime Minister would hold a bilateral meeting with Yunus on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit, Jaishankar refrained from confirming, stating that the matter was still under consideration.
The discussion prominently revolved around Bangladesh, with several MPs, including K C Venugopal, Manish Tewari (Congress), Priyanka Chaturvedi (Shiv Sena-UBT), and Mukul Wasnik (Congress), raising concerns over attacks on Hindus and urging the government to take stronger action.
Jaishankar assured them that India has raised the issue with the Bangladeshi interim government and will continue to engage on this matter.
MPs from southern states also brought up the livelihood challenges faced by Indian fishermen due to tensions with Sri Lanka.
Additionally, another section of MPs raised concerns about drug and arms smuggling into India from Pakistan and Myanmar. The Minister reassured them that the government is actively addressing these security threats and has been engaging with the relevant authorities on the issue.
Earlier in the meeting, Foreign Secretary Vikram Mistry provided an in-depth presentation on India’s diplomatic relations with Bangladesh, Myanmar, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka, outlining key developments and ongoing challenges.
