Dhaka Condemns Delhi over Sheikh Hasina’s Media Address

Dhaka has voiced strong outrage following India’s decision to allow deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a convicted perpetrator of crimes against humanity, to hold a press conference in New Delhi. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its deep disappointment in an official statement released on Wednesday, warning that permitting such an event severely threatens bilateral ties between the neighbouring nations.

According to the foreign ministry, the interim administration in Bangladesh had previously raised explicit concerns with the Indian government regarding the broader implications of giving the fugitive leader a public platform. Despite these warnings, New Delhi permitted the event, organised by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club (FCC) South Asia, to proceed. Dhaka described the gesture as a direct affront to Bangladeshi sovereignty and a profound insult to the memory of those killed during the 2024 uprising.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted that the timing of the broadcast, coinciding with the second anniversary of the July Mass Uprising, exacerbated public indignation. Sheikh Hasina’s remarks were characterized as a futile attempt by a convicted mass murderer and her associates to rewrite history and deny UN-verified findings detailing the brutal killings of innocent civilians, including children, during July and August 2024. The ministry added that the people of Bangladesh have repeatedly rejected such authoritarian efforts and remain steadfast in their refusal to regress into fascism or accept client-state status.

The ministry reiterated Dhaka’s commitment to cultivating constructive, forward-looking relations with India grounded in sovereign equality, mutual respect, non-interference in internal affairs, and national dignity. However, it pointedly referenced India’s continued reluctance to act on formal extradition requests made under the 2013 bilateral Extradition Treaty between the two countries.

Despite repeated official petitions from Dhaka seeking Hasina’s return to face justice, New Delhi has yet to respond. The statement warned that granting a fugitive access to international media while ignoring extradition obligations undermines mutual trust and inflicts deep harm on the friendly relations between Bangladesh and India.