India Washes its Hands off Sheikh Hasina’s Speech, “Made in her Individual Capacity”
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Feb 7: India on Friday summoned the Bangladesh acting high commissioner and conveyed to him a strongly worded statement stating that the comments attributed to the deposed Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have been made in her individual capacity in which India has no role to play.
Responding to media queries, Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in a statement explaining why Bangladesh Acting High Commissioner to India Md Nural Islam was summoned by the MEA, said conflating comments made by Ms Hasina in her individual capacity with India’s position was not good for bilateral ties.
Mr Islam was summoned a day after Bangladesh demanded that India, where Ms Hasina is currently living in exile, “stop” her from making statements on Bangladesh affairs.
“It was conveyed that India desires a positive, constructive and mutually beneficial relationship with Bangladesh, which has been reiterated several times in recent high-level meetings. It is, however, regrettable that regular statements made by Bangladesh authorities continue to portray India negatively, holding us responsible for internal governance issues. These statements by Bangladesh are in fact responsible for the persistent negativity,” the MEA added.
“Comments attributed to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have been made in her individual capacity in which India has no role to play. Conflating this with the Government of India’s position is not going to help add positivity to bilateral relations,” the statement further read.
“While the Government of India will make efforts for a mutually beneficial relationship we expect that Bangladesh will reciprocate similarly without vitiating the atmosphere,” the government added.
According to media reports, Bangladesh’s foreign ministry handed over a protest note to India’s acting high commissioner in Dhaka, conveying “deep concern, disappointment and serious reservation” over her comments.
“The ministry … requested … India to immediately take appropriate measures, in the spirit of mutual respect and understanding, to stop her from making such false, fabricated and incendiary statements,” it said.
In a televised address, Sheikh Hasina had urged her supporters to stand against the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. She also called on the people of Bangladesh to resist the country’s new leaders and alleged that they took power by “unconstitutional” means.
Thousands of protesters had again torched and demolished the residence belonging to her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman earlier this week. The house in the capital, Dhaka, had been home to Hasina’s late father and Bangladesh’s independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who declared the country’s formal break from Pakistan there in 1971. He was assassinated there in 1975. Hasina later turned the home into a museum.
The MEA’s statement comes a day after India expressed anguish over the vandalism of the home of Bangladesh founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and said the “act of vandalism” should be strongly condemned. The historic residence of Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, a symbol of the heroic resistance of the people of Bangladesh against the forces of occupation and oppression, was destroyed on February 5, 2025.
“All those who value the freedom struggle that nurtured Bangla identity and pride are aware of the importance of this residence for the national consciousness of Bangladesh. This act of vandalism should be strongly condemned,” the MEA spokesperson said.
The protesters, reportedly demanding a ban on the Awami League, stormed the premises after breaking open the gate, causing widespread destruction. Local media linked the protest to an online speech by former Ms Hasina.
