Dhaka has asked New Delhi to inform former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that the incumbent government did not appreciate her issuing speeches from India. This was announced by Bangladesh foreign secretary Jashim Uddin at a media conference after his meeting with Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.
Misri arrived in Dhaka on Monday for high-level talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart in the wake of the worsening bilateral relations between the countries.
#WATCH | Dhaka, #Bangladesh | Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says, "...Today's discussions have given both of us the opportunity to take stock of our relations and I appreciate the opportunity today to have had a frank, candid and constructive exchange of views with all my… pic.twitter.com/CNuqoddTpy
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Jashim Uddin told reporters that Misri has informed Dhaka that Hasina's presence in the country won't affect the bilateral relations. "We have drawn their attention to the speeches the former prime minister is giving while staying in India. You heard yesterday, she (Sheikh Hasina) gave a speech; the incumbent government does not like this," he added.
"We told them that we do not like her giving statements while staying in India… They have taken the matter into cognisance," he said.
Hasina slammed Bangladesh's interim government chief adviser Muhammad Yunus over the arrest of Hindu priest Chinmoy Das and accused him of masterminding the unrest that toppled her. She said there was rampant attack on minorities, including places of worship of Hindus, in Bangladesh after her government fell. She said the Yunus government was a 'fascist regime' that allowed terrorists and fundamentalists to act without restraint.
With regard to seeking the extradition of Hasina, the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry would proceed only after receiving formal requests from other relevant government departments. "It’s a political decision, and we can seek her extradition via diplomatic messages or through our missions in India. For this, we don’t necessarily need an FOC," Jashim Uddin said. The International Crimes Tribunal investigating the July-August killings has sought her return from India.
Misri too raised the issue of attacks on minorities, including Hindus, with Bangladeshi leaders and officials.
Jashim Uddin called this "a campaign of negative propaganda and disinformation in the Indian media" and told reporters that Dhaka asked New Delhi to take steps to curb this. "We have emphasised that all the people living in Bangladesh are practising their religions freely. There is no scope of confusion or spreading misinformation in this regard," he told reporters. He said the Yunus government has asked foreign journalists to visit Bangladesh to observe the ground realities in the country.
The alleged killings along the India-Bangladesh border also came up during the meeting and Dhaka wanted India to take steps to end that. "Bringing down the killings along the border to zero is our priority. We believe every life is invaluable," he said.
