Amid strained ties between India and Bangladesh, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed will skip the first-ever meeting of home ministers of the BIMSTEC grouping in New Delhi, with a delegation led by a senior bureaucrat set to represent Dhaka.

Bangladesh home minister to skip meet

Home Affairs Senior Secretary Manzur Morshed Chowdhury is leading the Bangladesh delegation at the two-day meeting, which began on Monday with senior officials from the home and interior ministries of member states, Bangla Tribune reported. Home ministers of the member states are scheduled to meet on Tuesday.

Moments ago, India’s Home Minister Amit Shah extended a warm welcome to the Home Ministers and member state delegations which is scheduled to be held in the national capital on Tuesday. “This historic meeting underscores our shared resolve to combat terrorism, transnational organized crime, narcotics radicalization, trafficking, illicit financial flows, and cyber threats. Through decisive coordination, we remain committed to building a safer, stronger, and more secure BIMSTEC region,” added Shah in a social media post on X.

Why is BIMSTEC meeting crucial?

Notably, the meeting is scheduled at the time when Delhi is witnessing massive protests from INDIA bloc, a group acrnoymd for Congress-led opposition parties, to oust the Chief Election Commissoner Gyanesh Kumar amid allegations of millions of voter deletion.

This historic meeting underscores our shared resolve to combat terrorism, transnational organized crime, narcotics radicalization, trafficking, illicit financial flows, and cyber threats. Through decisive coordination, we remain committed to building a safer, stronger, and more secure BIMSTEC region.

ALSO READ: Bangladesh Chief Adviser Gifts Decade-Old Photo To PM Modi, Highlighting A Full Circle Of Life 

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a regional grouping comprising Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. It aims at promoting economic and technical cooperation among countries bordering the Bay of Bengal and in its neighbourhood. Bangladesh assumed the BIMSTEC chairmanship in April 2025.

The inaugural meeting of the BIMSTEC home ministers is intended to strengthen security cooperation among the member states across South and Southeast Asia and the Bay of Bengal region. Though the report did not specify the reason for Ahmed's absence, the decision comes amid a downturn in India-Bangladesh ties following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government in August 2024. Hasina later fled to India.

First Rahman, now Home Minister skips meet

Last month, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had skipped the outreach session of the BRICS summit in New Delhi despite an invitation from the Indian government, which had invited him in his capacity as BIMSTEC chair.

According to a report in Dhaka Tribune, the Bangladesh delegation led by Chowdhury will also include AKM Shahidul Karim, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs dealing with SAARC, BIMSTEC and other priority issues; and Rebecca Khan, joint secretary.
The meeting will bring together representatives of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand to review regional security cooperation and explore ways to strengthen coordination in law enforcement, intelligence sharing and efforts to combat terrorism and transnational crime.

ALSO READ: Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman Not To Attend BRICS Summit In New Delhi Despite Being Invited As BIMSTEC Chair

Bhutan's home minister, Myanmar's union minister for home affairs, Nepal's home minister, Sri Lanka's minister for public security and parliamentary affairs, and Thailand's deputy secretary-general of the National Security Council are expected to attend Tuesday's meeting, the UNB news agency reported.

India-Bangladesh relations nosedived

Hasina's presence in India has emerged as one of the major contentious issues between the two countries. Dhaka has been seeking her extradition, while India maintains that the extradition request is under examination in accordance with applicable law and established legal procedures.

The Bangladesh foreign ministry in August had said the atmosphere for Rahman's visit has been "vitiated" by Hasina's virtual press interaction in New Delhi held that month. India has maintained that it had no role in the media event concerning Hasina and it does not endorse anything said at the forum about the Bangladesh government.

(With inputs from agencies)

You may also like to watch