Bangladesh HM to skip BIMSTEC Meet in India
Dhaka Bangladesh Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed will not attend the first-ever meeting of home ministers of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) in New Delhi, amid strained relations between India and Bangladesh. Home Affairs Senior Secretary Manzur Morshed Chowdhury will lead the country’s delegation at the two-day meeting, which began on Monday with discussions among senior officials from the home and interior ministries of member states. The home ministers are scheduled to meet on Tuesday. The meeting aims to strengthen regional security cooperation among the seven BIMSTEC members — Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Discussions are expected to cover law enforcement coordination, intelligence sharing, counterterrorism measures and efforts to combat transnational crime. The reason for Ahmed’s absence has not been officially specified. However, the decision comes at a time when relations between New Delhi and Dhaka remain strained following the removal of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government in August 2024. Hasina subsequently fled to India. Her presence in India has become a major point of disagreement between the two countries. Bangladesh has sought her extradition, while India has said the request is being examined under applicable laws and established legal procedures. The latest development follows another diplomatic absence last month, when Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman skipped an outreach session of the BRICS summit in New Delhi despite receiving an invitation from the Indian government. Bangladesh assumed the BIMSTEC chairmanship in April 2025. The regional grouping seeks to promote economic and technical cooperation among countries around the Bay of Bengal and neighbouring areas. Chowdhury’s delegation is also expected to include senior officials from Bangladesh’s foreign ministry. Representatives from several other member countries, including Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand, are expected to attend the ministerial meeting.
