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admin 7 Aug 2026 , 2:18 PM Print Edition
Online Desk : India on Friday reiterated its earlier position regarding former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s virtual appearance at a press conference in New Delhi, saying the government had no role in organising the event and does not endorse the views expressed there.
Speaking at the weekly media briefing, Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the event was organised by a private media organisation and was not associated with the Indian government.
“I have already stated the government’s position before the press conference took place,” Jaiswal said. “The government had no role to play in what was an event organised by a private media entity.”
He added, “The government does not endorse anything said at the forum, especially with regard to the duly constituted government of Bangladesh.”
Sheikh Hasina addressed the press conference via an audio call on Wednesday at an event organised by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia (FCC South Asia) in New Delhi to mark the second anniversary of the fall of the Awami League government.
During the interaction, Hasina said she intended to return to Bangladesh in December, although she did not specify a date. She also alleged that some organisations had turned the 2024 student protests into a violent movement but did not present evidence in support of the claim.
Hasina also criticised both the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus and the current BNP-led government, claiming the country was being run on debt.
The Indian response came after Bangladesh lodged a strong protest over the event.
In a statement issued on Wednesday night, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said allowing a “convicted fugitive” to address the media from Indian soil was deeply regrettable and harmful to bilateral relations.
The ministry also noted that Bangladesh had repeatedly requested India to extradite Hasina under the Bangladesh-India Extradition Treaty signed in 2013 but had yet to receive a response.
It said allowing Hasina to engage publicly with the media despite Dhaka’s objections had hurt the sentiments of the Bangladeshi people and undermined efforts to maintain constructive bilateral relations.
