After reports that permission was denied for an international seminar in Delhi because it was due to feature speakers linked to the Awami League, Bangladesh says discussions are going on still for a possible visit of Bangladesh Prime Minster Tarique Rahman to India.
An event organised by the Foreign Correspondents Club of South Asia on August 5 featured the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, India had clarified that the government had nothing to do with the organisation of the event and did not endorse the views expressed at the event. Bangladesh reacted very sharply to the episode and said, ""Allowing her the opportunity to openly interact with the media under any pretext is deeply hurtful to our people's sentiment and detrimental to the development of harmonious bilateral relations between Bangladesh and India."
Bangladesh media reported that by not allowing permission for the event that was to be held on Saturday, New Delhi also sought to convey to Bangladesh that, in the interests of bilateral relations, India no longer wants any unnecessary controversy due to events that have no connection to the government of India.
Humayun Kabir, a close aide to Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and the country's newly appointed State Minister for Foreign Affairs, also commented on the development. Calling it a "good" and "expected" move, he said this is how members of a suspended party who have fled Bangladesh should be dealt with. "The steps taken are positive and should become the norm. We will not allow any terrorists to find space in Dhaka, and similarly, we expect that any fugitive terrorist from Bangladesh should not be given space in Delhi or elsewhere in India. The incident you referred to is a positive development, and we hope this approach continues. Naturally, it helps build goodwill and paves the way for better relations," he told reporters.
While the administration in Bangladesh refers to the former Prime Minister as a fugitive terrorist, Sheikh Hasina, whose government was ousted on August 5, 2024 had come to India by a Bangladesh Air Force plane as the Bangladesh military evacuated her and flew her to New Delhi in India after she reportedly resigned as Prime Minister on that very day. Sheikh Hasina later denied the resignation.
Dhaka has labelled the August 5 event this year in New Delhi as an affront to its sovereignty. In a strongly worded statement, Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was "outraged". "Dhaka deeply regrets that in spite of concerns conveyed prior to the Government of India about the likely ramifications of this event on the reset of our bilateral relations, this public event was permitted to be held," the foreign ministry statement issued a day after the event said.
Commenting on the proposed visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to New Delhi, Humayun Kabir said, "No date has been set yet but at some conducive point, of course there will be a visit on the basis of mutual respect and mutual interest and the availability of time of the Prime Ministers of both countries, we will set a date." This is being seen as a thaw after Bangladesh protested against an event featuring former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi
When asked if this means the impasse has ended and the doors have opened for a visit, Humayun Kabir said, "We can say that there was an impasse only if a date had been fixed and then things were stuck. But we did not have an agreement on dates on going. Discussions were going on and at that time there was an incident on August 5 and that hurt the sentiments of the people of Bangladesh. We have raised that issue and now discussions are going on. Let's see, when the timing is conducive, of course the Prime Minister will visit India but we have not set any dates,"
The Delhi Police reportedly refused to grant clearance to go ahead with the event, telling the organisers that the event could not be permitted because of "certain controversies". The Delhi Police has not issued any clarification on the matter.
