India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s continued stay in India is a decision she must ultimately take herself, noting that the situation under which she arrived remains a significant factor.
Hasina travelled to India in August last year after her 15-year tenure ended abruptly amid widespread unrest that left hundreds dead and thousands injured.
The 78-year-old was sentenced to death in absentia by a special tribunal in Dhaka last month, which convicted her of “crimes against humanity” for the state’s harsh response to student-led protests.
Speaking at the HT Leadership Summit during a conversation with NDTV’s CEO and Editor-in-Chief Rahul Kanwal, Jaishankar refrained from explicitly stating whether New Delhi would allow Hasina to remain indefinitely.
“She came here in a certain circumstance, and that circumstance clearly influences what happens to her,” he said. “But at the end of the day, she has to make up her mind.”
Focus on democratic process in Bangladesh
Turning to India’s broader approach to Dhaka, Jaishankar underlined New Delhi’s long-standing expectation of a credible electoral process in Bangladesh. He recalled that those currently governing the country had previously criticised the conduct of earlier elections.
“What we heard was that people in Bangladesh, especially those who are now in power, had concerns about how elections were run,” he said. “If the issue was the election, then the logical first step is to hold a fair one.”
India expresses goodwill for Bangladesh’s future
Jaishankar reiterated India’s preference for democratic outcomes in its neighbourhood and conveyed optimism about the trajectory of bilateral relations. “We wish Bangladesh well,” he said.
“As a democratic country, we expect to see the will of the people expressed through a democratic process.”
He added that any government emerging from such a process would likely adopt a “balanced and mature view” of relations with India and expressed hope that ties between the two countries would strengthen in the period ahead.
