The Chief Advisor to the Interim Government, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, will travel to Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, on April 3 to attend the 6th BIMSTEC Summit. The 6th BIMSTEC Summit will be held in Bangkok from April 2 to 4.

Local diplomats said that the Chief Advisor will visit Thailand on April 3-4 to attend the BIMSTEC Summit. Preparations for the visit are underway. This will be the first foreign visit where the Chief Advisor will be accompanied by Foreign Advisor Md. Touhid Hossain and Foreign Secretary Md. Jasim Uddin. The Foreign Secretary will lead the Bangladesh delegation in the senior officials’ meeting on April 1. The Foreign Advisor will lead the foreign minister-level meeting on April 2. The head of government will attend the BIMSTEC Summit on April 4.

On the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit, Dr. Bangladesh sent a diplomatic note to India last week requesting a meeting between Yunus and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to information provided by the concerned, Dhaka did not receive a reply to the letter till Monday afternoon. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is preparing for Yunus’ meeting with Modi in Bangkok. A local diplomat said in this regard, “Let the meeting be what we want. We hope it will happen. Delhi has not said ‘no’ yet. If they have not, they may inform us in writing. But we have not received a written reply till now. That could mean the meeting. A lot happens on the day before the summit. We are optimistic.

Even if the Yunus-Modi meeting does not take place in Bangkok for some reason, it is certain that they will meet. A meeting is scheduled with Thai Prime Minister Phatthana Shinawatra, the head of government, during his visit to Bangkok.