Dr. Yunus Sought to Stop Over in Delhi on Way Abroad Despite Not Being Invited

❐ Special Correspondent

In an interview with Prothom Alo, former foreign affairs advisor to the interim government, Md. Towhid Hossain, said that around November-December 2024, Chief Advisor Yunus advised him to visit Delhi on his way somewhere.

However, Towhid Hossain then stated that it would not be appropriate for him (Yunus) to go to Delhi to meet without a formal invitation from the Indian Foreign Minister.

He also argued that there was no need to go to Delhi unnecessarily as there was strong anti-Bangladesh sentiment and support for the Awami League not only within the Indian government but also within a section of the country. Dr. Yunus accepted his argument.

Mohammad Touhid Hossain, former foreign affairs advisor to the interim government, said in an interview with Prothom Alo that the interim government’s chief advisor spoke to Narendra Modi on the phone and that he was interested in visiting India. However, the foreign affairs advisor advised that it would not be appropriate to go directly to India without the permission of any country.

During the interim government, India had expressed strong objections to various comments made by Dr. Yunus, especially his comments on the Seven Sisters. And it was during Dr. Yunus’s tenure that anti-India sentiment became quite noticeable among the advisors.

In this context, Towhid Hossain’s comments regarding Yunus’s interest in going to India have created a discussion in political circles.

In the interview, Touhid Hossain also said that after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, there was no quick warm response from India and the message welcoming Dr. Yunus also came much later than from China or other countries. He mentioned that Bangladesh had to take the initiative for Dr. Yunus’s first phone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In the interview, Touhid Hossain also spoke about his various experiences of performing his duties during the interim government, expressing his intention to resign three times, his experience of the existence of a “kitchen cabinet”, and the agreements signed with the United States and Japan.

He said that his experience was that the initial attempts to improve relations with India proved to be unsuccessful.