Dhaka-Delhi relations face fresh tensions over Hasina

The decision to allow Sheikh Hasina to directly interact with journalists in Delhi has created new tensions in Bangladesh-India relations. Although the BNP government had been signalling from the very beginning of its tenure that it wanted to rebuild bilateral relations with India, Wednesday’s interaction has dealt a major blow to that effort.

Several responsible government and diplomatic sources in Bangladesh told Prothom Alo that, two days before Sheikh Hasina’s event in Delhi, Bangladeshi representatives at the policymaking level communicated with a senior representative of the Indian government.

During their conversation, Bangladesh’s concerns over Sheikh Hasina’s interaction with the media in Delhi were conveyed. In response, the Indian side had assured them that a recorded statement by Sheikh Hasina would be played at the event and that the presence of media personnel would be limited; only members of the organising body would participate. However, ultimately, the assurances were not reflected in the event.

Besides, on 30 July, the central government of India had told the country’s Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs that Sheikh Hasina had not been allowed to conduct political activities from Indian soil. Within a week of that statement, the interaction with journalists was organised.

Bangladesh strongly protested Sheikh Hasina’s interaction in Delhi last Wednesday. The fallout from such tensions and strains in relations between the two close neighbours has spread beyond the political arena into the public sphere as well.

Against such a backdrop, India said yesterday, Friday, that it does not support Sheikh Hasina’s remarks. In response to a question at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs’ regular briefing, ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “The Government of India does not endorse anything that was said from that platform, particularly against the duly constituted Government of Bangladesh.”

Regarding the interaction in Delhi, Bangladesh expressed its anger in a statement issued on Wednesday night, saying, “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.”

The government said it had conveyed its concerns apriori to the Indian government about the likely ramifications of the event on the reset of Dhaka-Delhi bilateral relations. Bangladesh deeply regrets that in spite of that the public event was permitted to be held on Indian soil.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ statement said, “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.”

Considering the broader scope of bilateral relations, Indian media outlets also criticised Sheikh Hasina’s remarks in Delhi. The country’s English daily The Indian Express published an editorial yesterday titled “India-Bangladesh ties should be Hasina-proof.” It said, “while a sanctuary offers her (Hasina) a home away from home, turning it into a political platform is problematic.”

A BBC Bangla report from Delhi has raised questions about whether the Indian central government’s approach towards Sheikh Hasina has changed. The report said that Sheikh Hasina herself is one of the major reasons why relations between the two countries have failed to return to a normal rhythm. She has become a source of irritation for Delhi by rejecting all proposals from the Indian government. The BBC Bangla report also questioned whether Sheikh Hasina, once a “trusted friend”, has now become a “burden of discomfort” for India.

Sheikh Hasina was convicted of crimes against humanity over the killings during the student-people uprising in 2024. She is a fugitive convict sentenced to death. The activities of her party, the Awami League, have been banned in Bangladesh. Staying in Delhi for the past two years, Sheikh Hasina has at various times sent audio messages through social media. In addition, she has given interviews to various media outlets via email. This was the first time she joined an event in Delhi online and spoke directly.

Sources at the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Sheikh Hasina’s announcement of her return while staying in India has sparked a new controversy. In particular, when she announced her political return to Bangladesh through an interview from Delhi, questions arose among the government’s policymakers as to whether she did so without the consent of the Indian central government. Recently, irritation over the matter has also been expressed at the top levels of the government.

Diplomatic sources in Dhaka and Delhi said Bangladesh has repeatedly asked India to take measures to ensure that Sheikh Hasina cannot conduct anti-Bangladesh activities from Delhi or make attempts to create instability in Bangladesh. As India has not responded to those requests, a crisis of trust has emerged between the two countries.

According to diplomatic analysts, India should remain vigilant to ensure that Sheikh Hasina’s political activities do not damage New Delhi’s relations with the democratically elected government of Tarique Rahman in Bangladesh.

India has invited Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, as the current chair of BIMSTEC, to the outreach session of the 18th BRICS Summit, which is scheduled to be held in Delhi from 12 September. The government has not yet decided whether he will attend the event.

The invitation is particularly important for Bangladesh, as the current chair of BIMSTEC and a country interested in becoming a BRICS member.

Alongside attending the outreach session, he would have the opportunity to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the first time. He would also have the opportunity to hold discussions with the leaders of other countries, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

However, diplomats in Dhaka say Sheikh Hasina’s interaction with journalists in Delhi last Wednesday has made the Bangladeshi prime minister’s participation in BRICS even more uncertain. In particular, Dhaka has been displeased by India’s failure to take any visible steps to prevent Sheikh Hasina from conducting political activities from Indian soil.

In its editorial, The Indian Express wrote, “Both governments need to insulate bilateral ties from short-term compulsions. While Hasina remains a welcome and protected guest, the bilateral relationship is too important to be held hostage by any one individual or interest.”

Michael Kugelman, a South Asia analyst at the US think tank Atlantic Council, told Japan’s Nikkei Asia that India had the capacity to prevent the event if it wished, and that Bangladesh would likely view the episode as another instance of New Delhi accommodating a long-time political ally. "India has taken a middle-ground approach with this press conference. I don't think that explanation will play well in Dhaka," he said.

Sreeradha Datta, professor of international relations at OP Jindal Global University in India, told Prothom Alo yesterday that the incident occurred at a time when Bangladesh and India have been gradually trying to normalise relations after nearly two years of tensions.

However, Sreeradha Datta advised against viewing this as a long-term setback. In her view, both India and Bangladesh can benefit from mutual cooperation.