Optimism laced with caution appears to be the prevailing sentiment across Bangladeshi news media following the landmark meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the chief adviser of the interim government of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus. This comes at a time when there is no-real consensus about what exactly transpired in the meeting. The account provided by Yunus’s press secretary, Shafiqul Alam—particularly regarding Sheikh Hasina—has been contested by Indian sources.
Significantly, this was the first summit-level meeting between the two nations since the coup of August 5, 2024, which ousted Sheikh Hasina’s government. Tensions had escalated in recent months between the neighbours who are bounded by deep historical ties. Most prominent news outlets in Bangladesh described the meeting, held on the sidelines of Bimstec in Bangkok, as a much-needed ice-breaker.
Bangladesh Pratidin
went a step further, declaring it a diplomatic victory for Bangladesh. The paper emphasized that for eight months India had avoided high-level interactions with Dhaka and insisted that any talks must exclude discussions on Hasina. Therefore, the fact that a 40-minute meeting occurred in a third country was, in their view, a breakthrough. Another daily, Naya Diganta said that getting this meeting done only adds to the aura of Nobel winning economist Muhammad Yunus.
The Hasina factor
The ‘sources’ in India particularly took exception to remarks made by Yunus’ press secretary Alam in a Facebook post, describing the claims made about the Bangkok meeting as ‘mischievous’ and ‘politically motivated’. Alam alleged that Yunus requested Hasina’s extradition and that Modi’s response was ‘not negative’. He even claimed Modi said, ‘We saw her [Hasina’s] disrespectful behavior towards you [Yunus].’
Regardless of what was actually said, the idea that Yunus directly brought up Hasina’s extradition dominated headlines on Saturday and became a recurring theme in Sunday’s editorials. It earned Yunus praise across media outlets of various ideological stripes. However, a caveat was frequently added: Hasina remains a potential stumbling block in the normalization of Indo-Bangla relations.
Policy hawks in media
Jugantor featured a detailed front-page story quoting various foreign policy voices. The article began with the assertion that no real improvement in ties was possible without Hasina’s extradition. Former Dhaka University professor Shahiduzzaman warned of a long-drawn process, predicting that India would not hand over Hasina, while Bangladesh would refuse to honor what he called ‘biased treaties’ signed by her. He advocated exploring new trade relationships, including with Pakistan.
In contrast, former envoy Mashfee Shams struck a more measured tone, expressing hope that relations could move beyond the Hasina factor. M Jashim Uddin, Director of the Centre for Peace Studies at North South University, described the meeting as a diplomatic win, arguing that India was forced to acknowledge Yunus’s legitimacy.
Bangladesh Pratidin
asserted that India was waiting for the next election to take a definitive stance regarding Bangladesh and that was hampering the normal flow of relationship. Dubbing the meeting as a diplomatic win, it hoped that India treats Bangladesh as an equal and claimed Yunus had clearly conveyed this expectation.
Buzzwords: ‘Equality’ and ‘fairness’
Prothom alo
, the most famous newspaper of the country in its editorial rued the fact that there was no real discussion about pending water agreement and said that constant engagement is the need of the hour and one or two meetings wouldn’t break the deadlock. It urged India to prevent ousted PM Hasina, currently living in New Delhi from giving controversial remarks. Fairness, equality and brotherhood need to be the cornerstone of the relationship between two countries, the editorial underlined.
On the issue of India’s demand for an ‘inclusive election’—a veiled suggestion that Awami League should be part of the process—Prothom Alo questioned India’s earlier silence when Hasina allegedly bulldozed the opposition to secure repeated victories. A front-page analysis on Sunday lamented that the visa issue—especially India’s drastic reduction in issuance to Bangladeshis—was overlooked. The article also noted that China had indirectly featured in the talks, with Modi reportedly indicating that he would not welcome a “third wheel” in the relationship.
Naya Diganta suggested that Yunus’s recent China visit may have paved the way for this summit. During that trip, Yunus reportedly described India’s North East as landlocked and dependent on Bangladesh, calling Bangladesh the “only guardian of the ocean”—remarks that sent shockwaves in India. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma called the comments ‘offensive’ and warned against ‘longstanding agendas,’ emphasizing infrastructure development in the Chicken’s Neck region. In a thinly veiled statement before his Thailand departure, PM Modi described North East India as ‘integral to BIMSTEC,’ widely interpreted as a message to Yunus.
Bangladeshi daily
Naya Diganta
believes that India as the bigger partner had the responsibility of creating a working relationship but it was Bangladesh which took the lead. In a laudatory tone, it claims that Mohammad Younus has raised all the contentious issues and has made it clear to India that the days of flexing arm is over. Another newspaper,
Amader Samay
also harped on the theme of equality and fairness for lasting friendship between two countries.
What people want
One tangible way to bolster friendship, according to Farid Hossain—former Minister (Press) at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi—would be for India to resume regular visa services. Speaking to TOI Online, Hossain said that the Modi-Yunus meeting had generated a positive media buzz and was welcomed by many politicians in Bangladesh. However, he noted that Hasina’s extradition was unlikely in the near term and not something the general public expected soon. Instead, progress on trade normalization and the Teesta water issue would help marginalize hardliners. Farid also played down the possibility of Bangladesh not obeying existing treaties.
He concluded by saying that while social media may always lean toward extreme views, calm diplomacy and mutual respect were necessary to restore normalcy in bilateral ties. And in his view, the Modi-Yunus meeting—with its honest exchanges—was just the beginning.
