In a first meeting since Sheikh Hasina’s ouster, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made it clear to Bangladesh’s chief adviser Muhammad Yunus that India expects Dhaka to ensure the safety of minorities and investigate attacks against them, foreign secretary Vikram Misri said Friday.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral and Technical Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit, marking the first direct engagement between the two leaders.

Modi iterated India's support for a democratic, stable, peaceful, and inclusive Bangladesh while underscoring the importance of maintaining communal harmony. "The Prime Minister conveyed India's expectation that the Bangladeshi government will ensure the security of minorities and investigate all cases of violence against them," Misri told reporters.

Modi also cautioned against rhetoric that could escalate tensions, advocating for a constructive and pragmatic approach to bilateral relations. He emphasised India's long-standing cooperation with Bangladesh, highlighting that the partnership had yielded tangible benefits for the people of both nations.

Border security also featured in the talks, with Modi stressing the need for strict enforcement of laws to curb illegal crossings, particularly at night.

When asked about Yunus’s reported request for the extradition of Sheikh Hasina, Misri declined to give a direct response, stating that the matter had been addressed previously and was not appropriate for discussion at this stage.

Yunus, who assumed office following the political upheaval in Bangladesh, has sought to bolster ties with China, referring to India's northeastern region as "landlocked" and positioning Bangladesh as its key access point to the ocean.

During his visit to China last week, Muhammad Yunus called on Beijing to expand its economic footprint in Bangladesh. He also described India’s northeastern region as "landlocked" and framed Bangladesh as the "guardian of ocean access" for the area.

Earlier, India’s ministry of external affairs had stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not hold a formal bilateral meeting with Bangladesh’s chief adviser on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok.

PM Modi on March 26 wrote to Yunus greeting him and the citizens on National Day of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh is the incoming chair of BIMSTEC, and the summit provided an opportunity for discussions on regional cooperation despite the evolving political dynamics between the two neighbours.