Dhaka: Bangladesh has lodged a strong diplomatic protest with India after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s recent media interview triggered sharp reactions within Dhaka’s interim government. The country’s Foreign Ministry summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner Pawan Badhe to formally convey its displeasure, according to multiple Bangladeshi media reports.
A senior official told local media that the Indian diplomat was informed of Bangladesh’s request for New Delhi to restrict Hasina’s access to the media, citing concerns that her statements could inflame domestic tensions. According to diplomatic sources, Badhe was asked to forward Dhaka’s concerns to the Indian government urgently.
The protest follows a series of interviews given by Sheikh Hasina to international media outlets including AFP, Reuters, and The Independent (UK). In these interviews, Hasina fiercely criticised the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, accusing it of misgovernance and suppressing political voices.
Sheikh Hasina has been living in India since August 5, 2024, when she fled Bangladesh after her government was ousted in a violent uprising that left the country in turmoil. She currently faces multiple charges in Bangladesh, including allegations of genocide, human rights violations, and other criminal cases filed after her ouster.
The interim government fears that her latest statements could trigger renewed unrest at a time when the political climate remains fragile. “Her interviews may cause chaos in the country,” government sources told Bangladeshi media.
In a parallel development, the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT-1) has fixed November 17 as the date to deliver its verdict in a case involving alleged crimes against humanity linked to the July–August 2024 uprising. The three-member bench—comprising Justice Mohammad Golam Murtuza Mazumdar, Justice Mohammad Shafiul Alam Mahmood, and Justice Mohammad Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury—announced the schedule earlier this week.
With tensions escalating between Dhaka and New Delhi over Hasina’s media outreach, diplomatic circles are closely watching how the situation unfolds in the run-up to the tribunal’s verdict.
