In a letter to Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that New Delhi was committed to advancing its partnership with Dhaka based on “sensitivity to each other’s interests”.

Modi had sent the letter to Chief Adviser Yunus, the head of the Bangladeshi interim government, on the occasion of Bangladesh’s Independence Day, which marks the country’s liberation from Pakistan in 1971.

“This day stands as a testament to our shared history and sacrifices, that have laid the foundation of our bilateral partnership,” Modi said in the letter. “The spirit of the Liberation War of Bangladesh continues to remain a guiding light for our relationship, which has flourished across multiple domains, bringing tangible benefits to our peoples.”

The prime minister added: “We remain committed to advancing this partnership, driven by our common aspirations for peace, stability and prosperity, and based on mutual sensitivity to each other's interests and concerns.”

The letter was shared by Yunus on social media.

While it is not unusual for countries to exchange commemorative letters on special occasions, Modi’s message assumes significance amid strained diplomatic ties since the Sheikh Hasina government in Bangladesh was ousted in August.

Hasina resigned as the prime minister and fled to India on August 5 after several weeks of widespread student-led protests against her Awami League government. She had been in power for 16 years and is considered a close ally of New Delhi.

Yunus, a Nobel laureate economist, took over as the head of Bangladesh’s interim government three days later. His government has said that it had sent “formal letters” requesting New Delhi to extradite Hasina but received “no official response” in the matter.

The letter also came amid reports that Dhaka has proposed a meeting between Yunus and Modi on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) summit in Bangkok, which will be held from April 2 to April 4. This would be their first meeting since Yunus took office.

The BIMSTEC is a regional multilateral organisation established in 1997 comprising India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Following the collapse of the Hasina government, several parts of Bangladesh reported incidents of violence against religious minorities.

Modi had urged Yunus in August to ensure the safety of Hindus and other minorities. Yunus, on his part, had claimed at the time that reports of attacks on religious minorities in Bangladesh had been exaggerated.