India Distances Itself From Sheikh Hasina's Media Event

The Ministry of External Affairs of India has distanced itself from a virtual press conference held by former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi. The event, organized by the private Foreign Correspondents' Club of South Asia, marked Hasina's first media address since leaving Bangladesh in 2024. Indian officials clarified that the government had no role in the forum and does not endorse any remarks made regarding the current administration in Dhaka.

During the interaction, Sheikh Hasina claimed that Bangladesh is suffering from fear and economic distress under the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which she alleged took power through a rigged election. She announced her intention to return to Bangladesh in December to restore democracy, stating she would do so regardless of the risk of imprisonment or a death sentence. Her son, Sajeeb Wazed, added that foreign intelligence agencies now operate openly in the country and warned that Bangladesh is becoming another Pakistan due to extremist forces.

The BNP-led government in Dhaka reacted with outrage, labeling Hasina an absconding convicted genocider and a mass murderer. The Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the event an affront to national sovereignty and a grievous insult to the martyrs of the July Revolution. Foreign Affairs Advisor Humayun Kabir requested that India prevent Awami League figures from using Indian soil for political remarks. India responded by stating it continues to monitor neighborhood developments to secure its own national security interests.