India distances itself from Hasina press conference, says no endorsement

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday clarified that New Delhi had no role in former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's media interaction in the national capital, reiterating that the press conference was independently hosted by a private press organisation.

Addressing a weekly media briefing, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "The Government had no role to play in what was an event by a private media entity. The Government does not endorse anything said at the forum, especially with regard to the duly constituted Government of Bangladesh."

The event was organised by the Foreign Correspondents' Club (FCC) of South Asia. Ms. Hasina addressed the media virtually from New Delhi on Wednesday, her first such interaction since leaving Bangladesh in 2024. She expressed her determination to return to her country later this year, saying, "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."

Ms. Hasina, who served as Bangladesh's Prime Minister for over a decade, stepped down in August 2024 following a student-led movement that led to the end of her administration. She has been residing in India since then. Her recent remarks come two years after her departure and have drawn attention due to the ongoing political dynamics in Bangladesh.

The briefing drew strong criticism from Dhaka. Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement describing it as "an affront to the sovereignty of Bangladesh" and warned that such events could affect efforts to strengthen bilateral relations. On the second anniversary of the July Revolution, the statement accused Ms. Hasina of using the platform to unleash "venomous vitriol" against the country and its citizens, calling the event conducted from Indian soil "a grievous insult" to the "martyrs of the July Revolution".

Even before the event, Mr. Jaiswal had affirmed India's complete detachment from the private briefing. "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," he had said in response to queries.

This development follows diplomatic signals from Dhaka, in which Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Advisor Humayun Kabir requested New Delhi's assistance in preventing Awami League figures, including Ms. Hasina, from utilising Indian soil to make political remarks, according to local media reports.

The Foreign Correspondents' Club of South Asia, a body representing international journalists, regularly hosts such interaction sessions. It is not affiliated with any government, and its events are organised independently.

The clarification underscores the delicate nature of India-Bangladesh relations, which have witnessed strains since Ms. Hasina's departure. India has consistently maintained that it respects the sovereignty and internal affairs of Bangladesh while also hosting displaced individuals on humanitarian grounds. The MEA's latest statement reinforces that position, emphasising that private events do not reflect government policy.