India Denies Role in Sheikh Hasina Virtual Speech Amid Bangladesh Protest
India has denied any involvement in a planned virtual address by former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, after Dhaka protested the event and warned it could affect bilateral ties. The speech is due to take place in New Delhi and is being presented as Hasina's first public appearance by videolink since she fled Bangladesh. The dispute has added a new point of friction between the two neighbours as relations remain strained after the political upheaval that removed her from power in 2024.
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India's foreign ministry said it had no role in organising the event and did not endorse any views that might be expressed there. Foreign ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said the government had "no involvement whatsoever" and described the interaction as being organised by a private media entity. Bangladesh had asked India to clarify its position on the planned address, and its officials warned that allowing political activity by Hasina and other leaders of her Awami League party could damage ties.
The event is linked to the second anniversary of the uprising that ousted Hasina, who has lived in self-imposed exile in New Delhi since student-led protests toppled her government in 2024. Bangladesh has also banned local media from airing the speech, underscoring the sensitivity surrounding her public remarks. M Humayun Kabir, an adviser to Bangladesh's prime minister, met the Indian high commissioner in Dhaka on Monday to protest the event and said Bangladesh expected cooperation to prevent anyone from banned organisations, including Hasina, from using Indian territory for political statements.
The episode matters because it sits at the intersection of diplomacy, exile politics and Bangladesh's continuing efforts to isolate Hasina and her allies. Dhaka is still seeking her extradition from India, while Hasina has rejected the legal basis of a 2025 death sentence handed down over crimes against humanity linked to the crackdown on the 2024 demonstrations. The planned speech therefore carries significance beyond a single media appearance, because it touches on questions of sovereignty, political legitimacy and how far India is willing to allow exiled figures to speak from its territory.
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Hasina's position has remained central to the deterioration in India-Bangladesh relations since her removal from office. She was long seen as a close ally of New Delhi, but the change in power in Dhaka has altered the diplomatic climate and sharpened disputes over her presence in India. The planned videolink appearance, alongside her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and other speakers, is being watched closely because it could further test the two governments' already fragile engagement.
What remains unclear is how the event will proceed in practice and whether it will trigger any further diplomatic response from Dhaka. It is also not yet clear whether the speech will lead to additional restrictions or formal steps related to Hasina's political activity from India. The next developments to watch are the content of the address, any reaction from Bangladesh after it is delivered, and whether the issue affects wider bilateral contacts in the coming weeks.
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