Bangladesh has recently made a formal request to India for a meeting between Yunus and Modi, who will both be in New York for the UN General Assembly later this month.
As of Saturday, the Indian side has not yet decided on Bangladesh’s request for a meeting between interim government head Muhammad Yunus and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to sources.
Sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, suggested that a meeting seems unlikely after Yunus's comments in an interview with an Indian media outlet earlier this week, which were reportedly not well received in New Delhi, reports Hindustan Times.
In an interview with PTI, Yunus criticized former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for commenting on Bangladesh's affairs while in exile in India.
“If India wishes to retain her until Bangladesh requests her return, the condition should be that she remains silent,” Yunus stated.
He also said India should move beyond the "narrative" that every political party other than Hasina's Awami League is "Islamist".
“Her comments and instructions from India are unwelcome and detrimental to both Bangladesh and India.”
There has been no response so far from the Indian side to Yunus’s remarks.
However, the sources cited above said such comments weren’t conducive to better relations.
India’s leadership has said Hasina was approved to come to the country at short notice after she stepped down on August 5.
The external affairs ministry has declined to comment on any possible Bangladeshi request for her extradition, describing it as a hypothetical matter.
Yunus, sworn in as leader of Bangladesh’s interim government three days after Hasina fled to India, spoke to Modi on the phone on August 16.
At the time, Modi urged Yunus to ensure the protection of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh following attacks after the ouster of the previous government.
Yunus had said Bangladesh will give priority to the security of all minorities.
During their phone conversation, the two leaders also discussed ways to take forward bilateral relations in line with national priorities.
