India distances from speech by Bangladesh’s ex-Premier Hasina that triggered violence in Dhaka

​​​​​​​By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI (AA) — India on Friday distanced itself from the virtual speech made by former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that triggered violence in Dhaka.

The Indian Foreign Ministry summoned Bangladeshi acting High Commissioner Nural Islam in New Delhi and told him that the comments attributed to Hasina “have been made in her individual capacity in which India has no role to play,” officials said.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said: “Conflating this with the government of India’s position is not going to help add positivity to bilateral relations.”

Bangladesh on Thursday lodged a protest with India following Hasina’s speech, with Dhaka describing it “false and fabricated.”

“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,” New Delhi told Dhaka through the Bangladeshi diplomat on Friday.

“It is, however, regrettable that regular statements made by Bangladesh authorities continue to portray India negatively, holding us responsible for internal governance issues,” the ministry said, adding that: “These statements by Bangladesh are in fact responsible for the persistent negativity.”

After the speech, angry protesters in Bangladesh torched and vandalized the house-turned-museum of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, founding president of Bangladesh, and other structures named after his family members across the country.

Hasina in her address had said: “Demolishing a building can only destroy a structure but couldn’t erase the history.”

Relations between Dhaka and New Delhi remain at a critical juncture since Hasina fled to India last year and the Muhammad Yunus-led transitional government assumed office on Aug. 8.

After a formal request to New Delhi from Dhaka to return Hasina home, where she faces cases of genocide as well as crimes against humanity, India has yet to respond to Bangladesh.

The Indian government early this week told Parliament that Bangladesh had sought the extradition of Hasina “for offenses allegedly committed before she came to India on Aug. 5, 2024.”

Hasina ruled Bangladesh for 15 years which ended at the peak of a student movement last summer.

“No response has been conveyed to the government of Bangladesh,” the Foreign Ministry said in Parliament.

The ministry said Friday that while the government “will make efforts for a mutually beneficial relationship, we expect that Bangladesh will reciprocate similarly without vitiating the atmosphere.”