India denies involvement in ex-Bangladesh PM Hasina’s planned speech

India's Ministry of External Affairs clarified on Tuesday that the Indian government held no role in organising a planned virtual address by former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has been living in self-imposed exile in New Delhi since student-led protests toppled her administration in 2024. A ministry spokesman stated that the government neither organised the event nor endorsed any positions that might be expressed during it, describing the gathering as a private media initiative.

Hashina, now 78 years old, was sentenced to death in 2025 on charges related to her response to the demonstrations that forced her from office. She has rejected the verdict as legally invalid. The former leader was scheduled to make her first public appearance since fleeing Bangladesh through a videolink address hosted by the Foreign Correspondents' Club of South Asia, appearing alongside her son and other speakers.

Bangladesh's government responded with concern, requesting clarification from India about its position on the event. Officials warned that permitting political activities by Hasina and members of her Awami League party could strain the two nations' relationship. An adviser to Bangladesh's current Prime Minister Tarique Rahman met with India's high commissioner in Dhaka to formally protest the planned speech, emphasising that Bangladesh expected India to prevent fugitive leaders from using its territory for political activities that could destabilise Bangladesh.

Tensions between the countries have escalated since the July 2024 political upheaval that removed Hasina, who had been a close ally of New Delhi. Bangladesh continues pursuing her extradition. Meanwhile, Bangladesh's government banned domestic media outlets from broadcasting or publishing Hasina's speech, citing laws that prohibit disseminating her communications within the country. Hasina's Awami League party condemned the restriction as an attempt to intimidate journalists.