NEW DELHI: Bangladesh has formally conveyed its concerns to India over the decision of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina—who remains in India after fleeing Dhaka last year—to deliver a virtual address on August 5. It has warned such an event could adversely affect the recent improvement in bilateral ties.
The issue figured prominently during a meeting on Monday between Bangladesh’s foreign affairs adviser Humayun Kabir and India’s newly appointed high commissioner to Dhaka, Dinesh Trivedi, at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tejgaon.
According to an official statement issued by Bangladesh, Dhaka specifically flagged “news circulating on social media” that the “fugitive Sheikh Hasina” may deliver a public speech on August 5 and sought India’s cooperation to prevent its territory from being used for political activities targeting Bangladesh.
“Bangladesh expects India’s cooperation to ensure that no person belonging to organisations whose activities are banned, including the fugitive Sheikh Hasina, can use Indian territory to deliver political speeches,” an official statement quoting Kabir read.