Bangkok, Thailand: In a diplomatic encounter laden with symbolism, Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus today presented Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a framed photograph from the 102nd Indian Science Congress (2015), capturing the moment Modi awarded Yunus a gold medal. The gesture came during their 40-minute bilateral meeting on BIMSTEC summit sidelines – their first engagement since Sheikh Hasina’s government was ousted in August 2024.
During their Bangkok meeting, Yunus raised water treaties and border issues with Modi amid Delhi's concerns over his China-linked economic vision for Northeast India, as MEA prepares to address ongoing bilateral tensions.
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The 2015 photograph – showing Modi honoring Yunus at Mumbai University – served as an icebreaker in talks shadowed by recent friction. Analysts note the carefully curated nostalgia contrasts sharply with current realities: Yunus leads an interim government while Hasina resides in Delhi, and bilateral trade has dipped 18% since the political transition.
All eyes now turn to Modi’s BIMSTEC plenary address, where regional connectivity projects may offer clues about India’s recalibrated Bangladesh policy
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