India Calls Dhaka Version of Yunus Meet 'Malicious'

The Bangladesh interim government's account of aspects of the meeting between chief adviser Muhammad Yunus and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including attacks on minorities and the extradition request for former premier Sheikh Hasina, was "mischievous and politically motivated," people familiar with the matter said on Saturday.

- Rezaul H Laskar

COLOMBO:

Responding to an official readout from the Bangladeshi side on the Modi-Yunus meeting in Bangkok and a Facebook post by Yunus' spokesperson Shafiqul Alam, the people said on condition of anonymity that the characterization of the Indian premier's remarks regarding the relationship with Yunus and the previous Bangladesh government were "inaccurate".

Alam said in the Facebook post that when Yunus raised Bangladesh's request for the extradition of Hasina, the "response was not negative". Alam also claimed Modi had said: "We saw her [Hasina's] disrespectful behaviour towards you [Yunus]." This, the Indian officials said, was "mischievous and politically motivated".