No govt involvement, organised by private entity: MEA on Sheikh Hasina's upcoming interaction
New Delhi, Aug 4
The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday made it clear that the Indian government is not involved in any way in former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's scheduled interaction with media on Wednesday and the programme is being organised by a private media entity.
Addressing a bi-weekly media briefing in New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the government is neither associated with the event nor endorses any views that may be expressed during the address.
"The interaction being referred to is being organised by a private media entity. The government has no involvement whatsoever in it and does not endorse any views that may be expressed at the forum," Jaiswal said while responding to a question on the event that is scheduled to take place on August 5.
The remarks came after Bangladesh Prime Minister's Foreign Affairs Advisor Humayun Kabir on Monday sought the Indian government's cooperation to ensure that no one from the Awami League, including Hasina, uses the Indian territory to make political statements, local media in Dhaka reported.
According to Bangladeshi daily Prothom Alo, Advisor Kabir conveyed his views during a courtesy call by the Indian High Commissioner to Dhaka, Dinesh Trivedi, on Monday afternoon.
Citing a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, Prothom Alo said that the social media news about Hasina making a public speech on August 5 came up during the discussion.
"In this regard, the Foreign Affairs Advisor informed the High Commissioner that Bangladesh expects India's cooperation in ensuring that fugitive Sheikh Hasina, or any individual associated with a banned organisation, is not allowed to use Indian territory to make political statements or engage in activities aimed at creating instability within Bangladesh," read the statement issued by the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry.
According to the High Commission of India in Dhaka, the discussion between Kabir and Indian High Commissioner Trivedi during the courtesy call focused on increasing people-centric cooperation between India and Bangladesh, based on mutual interest and mutual benefit.
"The High Commissioner reiterated India's intent to work positively with the Government of Bangladesh to advance the developmental aspirations of the peoples of India and Bangladesh," the Indian High Commission posted on X.
According to the statement by the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry, both sides stressed the importance of continuing regular dialogue and constructive engagement and expressed the hope that long-term and sustainable solutions to all issues can be achieved through mutual trust and discussion, Prothom Alo reported.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This is a tricky situation honestly. While we must maintain good relations with the current Bangladesh government, Sheikh Hasina was a friend of India during her tenure. It's important we maintain diplomatic balance without interfering in their internal matters. 🙏
India is handling this well by clearly distancing itself from the event. This protects India's interests and shows respect for Bangladesh's current government. Good diplomatic move.
Honestly, we need to be careful here. If Sheikh Hasina uses Indian soil to destabilize Bangladesh, it could harm our bilateral relations. MEA's clarification is necessary but let's hope it's enough to reassure Dhaka. We don't want unnecessary tension at our borders.
From an outsider's perspective, this seems like a standard diplomatic clarification. India shares deep cultural and economic ties with Bangladesh, and it's in both nations' interest to keep things stable. Hopefully, this incident doesn't strain the relationship.
I see this as the right call. India must not be seen as taking sides in Bangladesh's internal politics. Let them resolve their own issues. Our focus should be on maintaining stability in the region. At the same time, I hope the government ensures that our longstanding relationship with Dhaka remains intact. 🤔
R Rohit P MEA is doing its We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.