Bangladesh Condemns Sheikh Hasina’s India Press Conference, Diplomatic Tensions with New Delhi Deepen
Fresh diplomatic tensions have emerged between India and Bangladesh after former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addressed an international press conference in New Delhi, prompting a sharp reaction from Dhaka. The Bangladesh government described the event as an “outrage” and warned that allowing the deposed leader to publicly address the media from Indian soil was detrimental to bilateral relations.
Speaking from New Delhi on the second anniversary of her removal from power, Sheikh Hasina declared that she intends to return to Bangladesh despite facing a death sentence handed down in absentia. She called for the ban on her Awami League party to be lifted, demanded the release of political supporters, and alleged that the cases against her were politically motivated. Hasina also criticized the current administration, claiming Bangladesh’s political stability and economy had deteriorated since her ouster.
The Bangladeshi Foreign Ministry responded with an unusually strong statement, accusing Hasina of attempting to “reverse the tide of history” and using Indian territory to spread what it described as inflammatory and misleading political narratives. Dhaka argued that the media event undermined Bangladesh’s sovereignty and could negatively affect the improving relationship between the two neighbouring countries.
Even before the press conference began, Bangladeshi authorities had instructed television channels and media organizations not to broadcast or publish Hasina’s remarks, citing existing legal restrictions imposed by domestic courts. The warning reflected the political sensitivity surrounding Hasina, whose speeches remain prohibited for broadcast inside Bangladesh under current legal orders.
India, however, maintained that the press conference was a private event organized independently by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club in New Delhi. New Delhi emphasized that it neither organized nor endorsed the event or the views expressed by Hasina, distancing the Indian government from the political controversy while continuing to host the former Bangladeshi leader.
Hasina has been living in India since August 2024 after mass student-led protests forced her from office. Since then, Bangladesh has repeatedly sought her extradition over multiple criminal cases, including convictions related to the deadly crackdown on anti-government protests. India has so far not extradited her, making her continued presence one of the most sensitive issues in bilateral relations.
The controversy has further intensified Bangladesh’s already polarized political environment. Demonstrations were reported in Dhaka following Hasina’s address, while political leaders aligned with the current government accused her of attempting to destabilize the country from abroad. The episode is expected to complicate diplomatic engagement between New Delhi and Dhaka, even as both governments have recently expressed interest in maintaining constructive ties.
