Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly reacted to Sheikh Hasina’s virtual speech, saying that India has allowed a “fugitive, convicted genocidaire” and a “convicted criminal responsible for hundreds of killings” to address the media from its territory, which it described as an insult to Bangladesh’s sovereignty and its people.
According to details, former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, while addressing the South Asian Foreign Correspondents’ Club in New Delhi virtually, said that she would return to her country under any circumstances, even if she had to face arrest or imprisonment.
Sheikh Hasina claimed that the 2024 student movement was not a spontaneous protest campaign but a pre-planned scheme to overthrow her government.
She further said that the movement for quota reforms was turned into a demand for her resignation.
Sheikh Hasina, referring to attacks on police and government installations during the protests, claimed that at least 3,000 police personnel were killed, subjected to violence or targeted in attacks, while around 460 police stations were set on fire.
She said that the state has a responsibility to protect citizens and government property.
Sheikh Hasina accused the interim and current governments of halting investigations into incidents that occurred during her tenure and protecting those responsible.
She claimed that after the fall of her government, at least 10,000 people were killed or went missing, around 650,000 arrests were made, and more than one million people were named in various cases.
She also claimed that the historic residence of her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was demolished in stages in an attempt to erase a symbol of the struggle for independence.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly criticised India for facilitating convicted genocider Sheikh Hasina to engage in live interaction with the media in New Delhi where she and her launched venomous vitriol against the State of Bangladesh and its people.
The Foreign Ministry said that Bangladesh had already informed India of the possible diplomatic consequences before the event, but the event was held nevertheless.
The statement further stated that on a day when the people of Bangladesh are observing the second anniversary of the July Revolution, this interaction by Sheikh Hasina on the Indian soil stands as an affront to the sovereignty of Bangladesh and a grievous insult to the martyrs of the July Revolution.
The statement said that Sheikh Hasina had rejected the death toll figures presented by the United Nations and made an unsuccessful attempt to rewrite history.
Bangladesh reiterated that multiple requests had already been sent to India for Sheikh Hasina’s return under the 2013 extradition treaty, but no response had been received so far.
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