'No involvement whatsoever' | India distances itself from Sheikh Hasina's planned virtual event

The government today said it has no involvement in the proposed media event related to former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the national capital on Wednesday, stressing that it is being organised by a "private media entity" and that New Delhi does not endorse any views that may be expressed there. Addressing the bi-weekly media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the government has no role in the event amid concerns raised by Bangladesh over Sheikh Hasina's proposed address on August 5 at the event hosted by the Foreign Correspondents' Club [FCC] of South Asia in New Delhi.

'India do not endorse any views'

"The interaction you refer to is being organised by a private media entity. The government has no involvement whatsoever in it. Neither does it endorse any views that may be expressed at the forum," Jaiswal said. Bangladesh has conveyed its concerns to India over reports that Sheikh Hasina, who is in India since leaving Dhaka last year, is scheduled to deliver a virtual address, stating that the event could adversely affect the recent improvement in bilateral ties. The issue figured during a meeting between Bangladesh's Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir and India's newly appointed High Commissioner to Dhaka, Dinesh Trivedi, on Monday.

Dhaka had sought a clarification from the Indian side

Dhaka on Monday sought a clarification from the Indian side on Hasina's plan with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's foreign affairs adviser Humaiun Kobir saying the public interaction from Indian soil could undermine the positive momentum witnessed in the bilateral ties in the recent months. Bangladesh's State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam said on Monday that Hasina's public political activities from Indian territory could have a negative impact on relations between the two countries. The former prime minister is set to address the virtual press conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club. Though Hasina had given a series of e-mail interviews over the past few months, it will be her first media interaction. The Awami League leader has already announced her plan to return to Dhaka by end of this year and she is likely to elaborate on that during the media interaction. Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and a number of other Awami League leaders including Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel and Shakib Al Hasan are likely to speak at the conference.