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The Bangladesh government has expressed strong displeasure and deep disappointment over the opportunity given to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, an absconder and convicted individual residing in India, to speak directly with the media in New Delhi. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that during the event, Sheikh Hasina and her associates delivered malicious statements against the Bangladeshi state and its people.
This reaction was conveyed in a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday (August 5).
The press release further stated that the Indian government had been previously informed about the potential negative impact of such an event. Despite concerns being raised, particularly regarding its adverse effect on ongoing efforts to rebuild Bangladesh-India bilateral relations, the event was allowed to take place, which Bangladesh noted with deep regret.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs added that Sheikh Hasina’s statements on Indian soil, made on the second anniversary of the July Revolution, constitute an affront to Bangladesh’s sovereignty and a grave disrespect to the memory of the martyrs of the July Revolution. It also mentioned that attempts to deny UN-established facts regarding the killings that occurred in July-August 2024 are a futile effort to distort history.
The press release further stated that, upholding the spirit of the July Revolution, the people of Bangladesh have pledged never to return to fascism and not to make the country dependent on any other state. It also underscored that convicted Sheikh Hasina and her associates have no place in Bangladesh’s political landscape.
The Bangladesh government reiterated its desire to maintain a constructive, mutually beneficial, and forward-looking relationship with India, based on sovereign equality, mutual respect, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, and national dignity.
However, the press release also noted that the Indian government has yet to respond to Bangladesh’s repeated requests for the repatriation of convicted Sheikh Hasina under the 2013 Bangladesh-India Extradition Treaty.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, allowing Sheikh Hasina to speak publicly in the Indian media, in contrast to the extradition request, has hurt the sentiments of the Bangladeshi people and is detrimental to the development of good relations between the two countries.