New Delhi: 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 under consideration, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is learnt to have told a parliamentary panel meeting here.
At Saturday's meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee for External Affairs, several MPs expressed concerns about the recent attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh. They asked what steps India is taking to address the issue.
According to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, the interim government in Dhaka has claimed that the recent attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh were "politically motivated" rather than "minority targeted", they said.
Jaishankar briefed the MPs on India's relations with Bangladesh, the Maldives, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. He mentioned that he would discuss India's ties with Pakistan and China separately at a later time.
Jaishankar informed the meeting that SAARC's inactivity is due to Pakistan's approach. Consequently, India is focusing on strengthening BIMSTEC.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi might attend the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok, Thailand, from April 2 to 4, as indicated by Jaishankar. However, He didn't confirm the visit during the meeting.
He also informed the meeting that Prime Minister Modi would visit Sri Lanka next month.
Asked whether Modi is expected to meet Yunus and hold bilaterals with him on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC summit, Jaishankar remained noncommittal, saying it is under consideration, the sources said.
Several Members of Parliament, including KC Venugopal, Manish Tewari from the Congress party, Priyanka Chaturvedi from Shiv Sena-UBT, and Mukul Wasnik from the Congress, raised concerns about the recent incidents of targeted killings of Hindus. They sought clarification from the government on the specific measures being taken to prevent such incidents.
Jaishankar said the government was engaged with the interim dispensation in Bangladesh at various levels, and the issue has been raised.
The government would continue to do so, he said.
The discussion at the meeting was dominated by concerns about Bangladesh, with many MPs seeking clarification on the recent attacks on Hindus in the country.
Other issues that were raised included the livelihood problems faced by fishermen, particularly those from southern states, in relation to Sri Lanka. Additionally, some MPs expressed concerns about the smuggling of drugs and arms into India from Pakistan and Myanmar. Minister assured the members that the government is actively addressing these concerns and engaging with the relevant authorities.
Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vikram Mistry gave a detailed presentation on India's relations with Bangladesh, Myanmar, the Maldives and Sri Lanka.
(inputs from PTI)