Bangladesh Crisis: Modi Speaks To Yunus, Invites Him To Attend Global South Summit Hosted By New Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday told Muhammad Yunus, head of the interim government of Bangladesh that New Delhi will support a ‘democratic and stable’ country

File Photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh interim government head Muhammad Yunus

Source : PTI

New Delhi: In yet another outreach to Dhaka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a phone call with Muhammad Yunus, head of the interim government of Bangladesh even as their former fugitive Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina continues to take shelter in India for more than 10 days. This is the second time when India and Bangladesh touched base with each other since the crisis broke out there with the ousting of Hasina from power on August 5.

During the telephone call, Modi invited Yunus to attend the Global South Summit 2024 to be hosted by New Delhi on 17 August. Yunus has agreed to represent Bangladesh at the Summit.

Modi told Yunus that India will continue to support its neighbour Bangladesh and will remain by the side of a “democratic, stable, peaceful and progressive Bangladesh.”

Yunus, on the other hand, assured Modi that he will ensure “protection, safety and security of Hindus and all minorities in Bangladesh.” In the wake of rising attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh, Yunus was compelled to take a stand and gave a call for peace and calm from the ramparts of Dhaka’s iconic Dhakeshwari Temple earlier this week.

“During the call, Prime Minister reaffirmed India’s support for a democratic, stable, peaceful and progressive Bangladesh. He emphasised India’s commitment to supporting the people of Bangladesh through various development initiatives. Prime Minister also underlined the importance of ensuring the safety and protection of Hindus and all other minority communities in Bangladesh,” said a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s office.

It also said, “Prof. Yunus, in turn, assured that the Interim Government would prioritise protection, safety and security of Hindus and all minority groups in Bangladesh. The two leaders also discussed ways to take the bilateral relationship forward in line with the respective national priorities.”

This is the third time India will be hosting the summit of Global South. India had hosted the 1st Voice of Global South Summit (VOGSS) on 12-13 January 2023, and the 2nd Voice of Global South Summit on 17 November 2023, both in virtual format.

Committed To Safety Of Every Citizen: Yunus Tells Modi

According to a readout issued by Bangladesh, Modi told Yunus that the latter’s leadership will “bring good to the people” of that country.

“The Chief Adviser has told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that his government is committed to safeguarding every citizen of the country including the minorities when the Indian Prime Minister raised the issue of the protection of the minorities,” it said.

The readout also said Yunus told Modi during their talks that Bangladesh has been “brought under control and life is becoming normal across the country.”

“He said his Interim Government has taken over as a result of the student movement. This is a Second  Revolution of Bangladesh and his government will fulfil the desire of the democratic aspirations of the students and people,” it added.

Yunus also told Modi over the phone that the interim Government has taken over “as a result of the student movement. This is a Second  Revolution of Bangladesh and his government will fulfil the desire of the democratic aspirations of the students and people.”

The long conversation between both leaders comes a day after India urged Bangladesh to safeguard its “people and projects” there so that the robust bilateral ties between both sides continue to remain steady. This was raised during an in-person one-on-one meeting in Dhaka between India’s High Commissioner Pranay Verma and Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain.

Before the crisis hit Bangladesh, New Delhi and Dhaka were planning to kickstart negotiations for a free trade agreement. However, that will not see the light of the day anytime soon.

During a meeting with the country’s garment manufacturers, Yunus told them that the Interim Government has “inherited a broken economy and they now face a tough job to fix the country and steer it to a growth path.”