Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, adviser to Bangladesh Nationalist Party Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, has condemned former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s virtual media address from India. He alleged that New Delhi’s decision to allow the speech would negatively impact bilateral ties between the two countries.

Alal stated that the BNP strongly opposed the permission granted to Hasina to deliver her address from Indian soil. He linked the issue to Bangladesh’s political developments following 5 August 2024, the day Hasina was ousted after a student-led uprising. He described the date as a great victory for Bangladeshi democracy, participatory government, and the restoration of free mass media.

Hasina’s virtual address was delivered at a private event in New Delhi organised by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia. India distanced itself from the engagement, clarifying that the government had no involvement in the event.

At a media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stressed that the interaction was organised by a private media entity. He emphasised that New Delhi did not endorse any views expressed at the forum.

Alal further demanded legal action against Hasina and other Awami League leaders currently in India. He urged New Delhi to return them to Bangladesh, stating that convicted individuals should be handed over to Dhaka without delay.

Last December, Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal sentenced Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death in a case related to crimes against humanity during the July–August 2024 unrest. Former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who testified as a state witness, received a five-year prison term. Following the verdict, Dhaka formally urged India to extradite the convicted leaders.

Alal also criticised remarks made by Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed, ahead of her address. Wazed had claimed that Bangladesh had become “another Pakistan” on India’s eastern front. Alal labelled the statement offensive and anti-state, arguing that such remarks undermined Bangladesh’s sovereignty and stability.

The controversy underscores the sensitivity surrounding Hasina’s continued presence in India. It also highlights the political tensions between Dhaka and New Delhi, as Bangladesh presses for extradition while India maintains its position of non-involvement in private events.

ANI