Bangladesh's Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin has expressed optimism about a possible meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus during the 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok.

Speaking ahead of the summit, Uddin confirmed that Bangladesh had officially requested the meeting and hopes for a positive response from India. This comes amid strained bilateral relations following the regime change in Bangladesh in August 2024, which saw Sheikh Hasina's government toppled and replaced by an interim administration led by Nobel laureate Yunus.

The BIMSTEC Summit, themed "Prosperous, Resilient, and Open," is scheduled to take place from April 2 to April 4, 2025.

It aims to enhance regional cooperation in trade, security, and connectivity among its seven member states: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Leaders are expected to adopt the BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision 2030 and discuss long-term goals for economic cooperation and sustainability.

While Bangladesh is fully prepared for the proposed meeting, India's Ministry of External Affairs has yet to confirm whether it will take place. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal recently stated that there was no update on the matter.

ANI