Dr Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of the Interim Government, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi may have a meeting in Thailand, according to Indra Mani Pandey, Secretary-General of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation).
During a discussion with members of the Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) at the BIMSTEC office in Dhaka on Tuesday (February 11), Pandey mentioned that while it is not yet confirmed whether Yunus and Modi will hold a formal meeting at the BIMSTEC Summit on April 4, there is a strong possibility.
He stated that the BIMSTEC Summit, scheduled for April 4 in Thailand, will see participation from top leaders of member states. However, whether individual leaders will hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines will be decided through mutual discussions among the countries involved.
Meanwhile, a diplomatic source in Dhaka reported that Dr Muhammad Yunus is set to attend the BIMSTEC Summit in Thailand, where Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also expected to be present. While a meeting between the two leaders is possible, it remains uncertain whether a formal discussion will take place.
Responding to a question, the BIMSTEC Secretary-General clarified that SAARC and BIMSTEC are both regional organizations and do not compete with each other. A country can be a member of multiple regional forums. Several nations are part of both SAARC and BIMSTEC, while some are also associated with ASEAN. There is no conflict in this regard.
Pandey further stated that the Interim Government of Bangladesh is actively supporting BIMSTEC, emphasizing that as a founding member, Bangladesh is committed to strengthening the organization. He also noted that BIMSTEC respects Bangladesh’s political transition and continues to receive necessary cooperation from the current Interim Government.
