Bangladesh outraged as India lets Sheikh Hasina hold media briefing

Bangladesh has expressed outrage over deposed PM Sheikh Hasina's media interaction in New Delhi, accusing her of 'venomous vitriol'. Dhaka regretted India allowing the event, while Hasina announced her plan to return to Bangladesh in December.

Bangladesh Outraged Over Hasina's Media Interaction in India

Bangladesh has expressed outrage over deposed former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's live interaction with the media in New Delhi on Wednesday, accusing her of launching a "venomous vitriol" against Bangladesh and its people.

In a press statement released on Wednesday (local time), Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "Bangladesh is outraged that the absconding convicted genocider Sheikh Hasina was allowed this evening to engage in live interaction with the media in New Delhi where she and her henchmen launched venomous vitriol against the State of Bangladesh and her people."

"Dhaka deeply regrets that in spite of concerns conveyed a priori to the Government of India about the likely ramifications of this event on the reset of our bilateral relations, this public event was permitted to be held," the statement added.

Affront to Sovereignty and July Revolution

The Foreign Affairs Ministry said that on a day when the people of Bangladesh are observing the second anniversary of the July Revolution, this interaction by Sheikh Hasina "on the Indian soil stands as an affront to the sovereignty of Bangladesh," and a grievous insult to the "martyrs of the July Revolution."

"The denial of facts established by the United Nations, including gruesome killing of the innocent civilians including minor children during July-August 2024 by the fascist regime, stands as a futile attempt by the absconding convicted mass murderer Hasina and her criminal cohort to reverse the tide of history. The people of Bangladesh had already rejected such heinous attempts in the past and continue to do so now," the Ministry said.

Reaffirming the ideals of the July Revolution, the ministry said that the Bangladeshi people have firmly resolved "that our nation will never again go back to the dark days of fascism and that Bangladesh will never be a client State. Convicted mass murderer Hasina and her mafia enterprise will never have a place in the polity of Bangladesh."

Extradition Request and Bilateral Tensions

The statement also said, "Bangladesh desires to maintain a constructive, mutually beneficial, and forward-looking relationship with India based on sovereign equality, mutual respect, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, and national dignity. Regrettably, Bangladesh's repeated requests to the Government of India for returning convicted criminal Hasina to Bangladesh under the Extradition Treaty signed between Bangladesh and India in 2013, has not yet elicited a response."

"On the contrary, allowing her the opportunity to openly interact with the media under any pretext is deeply hurtful to our people's sentiment and detrimental to the development of harmonious bilateral relations between Bangladesh and India," the statement added.

Sheikh Hasina Announces December Return

Earlier today, deposed Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina announced her decision to return to her homeland in December, asserting that she is prepared to face any consequences, including arrest, imprisonment, or threats to her life. Addressing her first virtual press briefing from New Delhi since her departure from Bangladesh, the former prime minister emphasised that she could not remain abroad while her supporters and countrymen continued to face hardship. She said, "Whatever fate awaits me, I will return to my people. I cannot stay away while my beloved countrymen are suffering... I want to go back in December." (ANI)

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