Bangladesh protests Hasina’s public address in India
Dhaka says permitting Hasina to speak from Indian soil breaches diplomatic norms, risks election violence and threatens Bangladesh-India ties
DHAKA, Bangladesh (MNTV) — Bangladesh has lodged a strong diplomatic protest after India allowed fugitive former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, convicted of crimes against humanity by Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal, to address a public gathering in New Delhi on Jan. 23.
In a statement issued Sunday, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was “surprised and shocked” that Hasina was permitted to make what it described as inciteful remarks from Indian territory, warning that the move endangered Bangladesh’s democratic transition as well as regional peace and security.
The ministry said Bangladesh remained “deeply aggrieved” that India had not acted on repeated requests to hand Hasina over under the bilateral extradition agreement. Instead, it said, New Delhi allowed her to issue political statements despite her fugitive status, a decision Dhaka described as a violation of diplomatic norms governing sovereignty, non-interference and good neighborly relations.
Bangladesh’s interim government said permitting the speech amounted to “a clear affront” to both the Bangladeshi people and the state, cautioning that the episode could set a damaging precedent for future relations between the two neighbors. The statement warned that such actions could make it harder for future elected governments in Bangladesh to build stable and mutually beneficial ties with India.
According to Dhaka, Hasina used the New Delhi event to openly call for the removal of the interim government and urged supporters to mobilize against it ahead of Bangladesh’s upcoming general elections. The foreign ministry said the remarks constituted direct incitement to violence and attempts to destabilize the electoral process.
The interim government said the statements reinforced its decision to ban activities of the Awami League, Hasina’s party, accusing its leadership of encouraging unrest. It warned that the government would hold the party responsible for any violence or acts of terror before or on election day and would take measures to prevent what it described as efforts to derail the polls.
The protest highlights growing strain in Bangladesh-India relations as Dhaka seeks to assert authority during a sensitive political transition, while pressing New Delhi to comply with extradition obligations and refrain from actions it says could influence Bangladesh’s internal political process.
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