DHAKA (Kashmir English): Bangladesh has lodged a strong protest against India after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajid was allowed to address the media live from New Delhi, calling the move damaging to bilateral relations and offensive to the people of Bangladesh.
In a statement, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had informed the Indian government in advance of its concerns over the event and warned that allowing Hasina to speak publicly from Indian soil could negatively affect ties between the two neighboring countries.
Despite these concerns, the event was permitted, a decision Dhaka described as “deeply regrettable.”
The statement noted that the media interaction took place on the second anniversary of Bangladesh’s “July Revolution,” saying the timing made the event particularly sensitive.
According to the ministry, allowing Sheikh Hasina to speak on that day amounted to an affront to Bangladesh’s sovereignty and a disrespect to those who lost their lives during the movement.
Bangladesh is outraged that the absconding convicted genocider Sheikh Hasina was allowed this evening to engage in live interaction with the media in New Delhi where she and her henchmen launched venomous vitriol against the State of Bangladesh and her people.
Dhaka deeply… pic.twitter.com/7BDnAxk5N8
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs (@BDMOFA) August 5, 2026
Bangladesh also accused Sheikh Hasina of attempting to deny internationally recognized accounts of the July–August 2024 violence, including findings referenced by the United Nations concerning the deaths of civilians and children. The government said such efforts to rewrite history had already been rejected by the Bangladeshi people.
Reiterating its foreign policy position, Dhaka said it remains committed to maintaining constructive relations with India based on sovereign equality, mutual respect, non-interference in internal affairs, and national dignity.
However, the government expressed disappointment that India has yet to respond to Bangladesh’s repeated requests for Sheikh Hasina’s extradition under the 2013 India–Bangladesh Extradition Treaty.
It argued that allowing the former prime minister to publicly address the media instead of returning her to Bangladesh has hurt public sentiment and complicated efforts to strengthen bilateral ties.
The Bangladeshi government also reaffirmed its commitment to preventing any return to authoritarian rule, saying the country would continue to uphold the principles of the July Revolution.
