The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner in Dhaka, Pawan Badhe, to express its strong displeasure over New Delhi’s facilitation of media interviews by ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently residing in the Indian capital.
A senior official at the foreign ministry confirmed that the Indian diplomat was called in and asked to convey Dhaka’s serious concern to his government.
The summons came after Sheikh Hasina’s series of interviews published in several Indian media earlier this week. In those interviews, she sharply criticised the interim government in Dhaka and accused it of “usurping democracy,” remarks that drew strong reactions from the Bangladeshi authorities.
Diplomatic sources said Wednesday’s summons reflects growing frustration within Dhaka over what it perceives as India’s tacit political engagement with the former prime minister.
During the meeting, the ministry conveyed that India’s continued sheltering of Sheikh Hasina—who is facing trial in Bangladesh—was not conducive to maintaining a constructive and friendly bilateral relationship.
Officials also expressed frustration that Indian media outlets were being allowed to provide her a platform to make politically charged remarks against the interim government in Dhaka to incite unrest and hinder efforts to preserve stability in Bangladesh.
Officials in Dhaka said the government viewed those interviews as “politically motivated” and “harmful to internal stability.”
This is not the first time Dhaka has summoned an Indian envoy in recent months. In September, the foreign ministry called in Deputy High Commissioner Badhe to protest what it described as “unwarranted political comments” by an Indian minister about Bangladesh’s internal affairs.
