'Government has no involvement whatsoever': India distances itself from the Sheikh Hasina's planned media appearance
The programme at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of South Asia is being held on August 5, marking two years since Sheikh Hasina's government was ousted in 2024.
The Indian governemnet has distanced itself from Sheikh Hasina's upcoming address. File image/PTI
The Ministry of External Affairs has distanced the government from a proposed media event featuring former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, saying it is being organised independently by a private media body. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal added that New Delhi does not support or endorse any views shared at the event.
"The interaction you refer to is being organised by a private media entity. The government has no involvement whatsoever in it. Neither does it endorse any views that may be expressed at the forum," Jaiswal said. Bangladesh has conveyed its concerns to India over reports that Sheikh Hasina, who has been in India since leaving Dhaka last year, is scheduled to deliver a virtual address, stating that the event could adversely affect the recent improvement in bilateral ties.
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The issue figured during a meeting between Bangladesh's Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir and India's newly appointed High Commissioner to Dhaka, Dinesh Trivedi, on Monday. Answering another query, Jaiswal said a formal invitation for a bilateral visit to India had been extended to Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman upon his assumption of office in February 2026. "As far as the BRICS Summit is concerned, India has separately extended an invitation to the Bangladesh PM in his capacity as the current Chair of BIMSTEC to attend the outreach session of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi," he added.
"The invitation has been extended as per the standard practice being followed in BRICS for the outreach sessions. Other heads of regional groups have also been invited in a similar manner," he added. Bangladesh's Foreign Ministry earlier confirmed that Rahman had received an invitation to attend the BRICS Summit and that the matter had been forwarded to the Prime Minister's Office for consideration. "We have received the invitation and forwarded it to the Prime Minister's office for consideration, and the decision will be made by the Prime Minister," a Bangladesh Foreign Ministry official told ANI.
"As the current BIMSTEC chair, Bangladesh has received an invitation for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to take part in the BRICS Summit outreach session. This comes ahead of 2027, when BIMSTEC will mark its 30th anniversary, and Bangladesh is scheduled to host the BIMSTEC Summit in Dhaka," the official added. The 18th BRICS Summit is scheduled to be held in New Delhi on September 12 and 13.
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