Bangladesh Calls India’s Move a ‘Dangerous Precedent’ After Hasina Address

Bangladesh has expressed strong criticism of India for allowing former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently a fugitive, to deliver a public speech in New Delhi.

In a statement issued on Sunday (January 25), Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was “surprised” and “shocked” that Indian authorities permitted Hasina to address an event in the Indian capital.

Hasina, 78, fled to India in August 2024 following a student-led uprising that ended her 15-year authoritarian rule. On Friday, she made her first public address since fleeing the country, speaking via an audio message to a packed press club in New Delhi. The speech was also broadcast online and watched by more than 100,000 people.

In November, a Dhaka court found Hasina guilty in absentia on charges including incitement, issuing orders to kill, and failing to prevent atrocities. She was sentenced to death by hanging.

“The government and the people of Bangladesh are surprised and shocked,” the foreign ministry said, adding that allowing Hasina to speak in India amounted to “a clear affront to the people and the government of Bangladesh.”

The ministry warned that permitting the speech set “a dangerous precedent” and could “seriously impair bilateral relations” between the two countries.

During her address, Hasina claimed that Bangladesh would “never experience free and fair elections” under interim leader Muhammad Yunus.

Bangladesh is scheduled to hold national elections on February 12 following months of political instability after Hasina’s removal from power.

Dhaka has formally requested Hasina’s extradition, though New Delhi has not yet responded. Relations between the two South Asian neighbours have remained strained since her overthrow, amid criticism of India’s past support for her government.