New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs clarified on Tuesday that the Indian government has no involvement in the upcoming virtual interaction involving former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The event, scheduled for Wednesday evening at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia in New Delhi, marks her first major public press appearance since fleeing Dhaka in August 2024 following massive anti-government demonstrations. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasized during a bi-weekly press briefing that the briefing is being hosted independently by a private media entity and that New Delhi neither sponsors nor endorses any political views expressed during the session.
The clarification follows formal diplomatic concerns raised by the administration in Dhaka. Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir met with Indian representatives to convey that allowing deposed political figures to conduct public political activities from Indian soil could derail recent progress made in stabilizing bilateral relations. The upcoming interaction is set to feature remarks by Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and former Awami League leaders, including Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel and Shakib Al Hasan, who plan to outline her homecoming agenda.
Diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh faced significant strain following the fall of the Hasina administration and her subsequent death sentence handed down in absentia by a special tribunal in Dhaka over human rights violations. However, bilateral engagements have gradually resumed following democratic transitions, including high-level visits and multi-lateral invitations extended to Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. The Indian government reiterated that while it provides safe refuge to the former leader, private media events fall outside state oversight, emphasizing its commitment to maintaining stable relations with Dhaka.
