Sheikh Hasina’s media event can hurt ties with India: Bangladesh

Published 3 August 2026 · politics

Continued political activities by deposed Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from Indian territory “could harm” bilateral relations, the Government of Bangladesh conveyed to India on

Continued political activities by deposed Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from Indian territory “could harm” bilateral relations, the Government of Bangladesh conveyed to India on Monday (August 3, 2026) through Humayun Kobir, the Foreign Affairs Adviser to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. Kobir met with Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi in Dhaka after Ms. Hasina’s August 5 ‘homecoming’ media event was announced here by the Foreign Correspondents Club. “Adviser Kobir mentioned that such activities could harm the positive progress of bilateral relations between the two countries.

The Indian High Commissioner assured that the matter would be duly considered, necessary inquiries would be made and efforts would be made in this regard,” the official news agency of Bangladesh UNB reported. The meeting took place in the Prime Minister’s Office in Tejgaon, Dhaka, UNB said. The report added that Dhaka expects India to ensure that no one, including Ms. Hasina, used “Indian territory to make political statements or conduct any activities aimed at creating instability within Bangladesh”. The Indian High Commission, in a statement, said that the discussion between Mr. Trivedi and Mr. Kobir focused on “mutual interests” and “mutual benefits”.

“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,” said the Indian High Commission in a message. Hasina, who has been based here since fleeing Dhaka on August 5, 2024, has given multiple telephonic and emailed interviews over the past three months expressing her desire to return to Bangladesh by the end of the year. Earlier, on Sunday, the Foreign Correspondents Club announced that the media event featuring an audio message from Ms. Hasina would be held on August 5 and that the event titled ‘Sheikh Hasina’s Homecoming’ would also feature her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and several top functionaries of the Awami League.

Waeil Awwad, the club’s president, told The Hindu on Monday (August 3, 2026) that the event remains on track.

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