India has clarified that it is not involved in organising former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's planned virtual address, stating that the event is being hosted by a private media organisation. The statement follows Bangladesh's concerns over the speech, which comes amid ongoing diplomatic sensitivities and legal proceedings involving the former leader.

India Denies Role in Sheikh Hasina’s Planned Speech, Says Bangladesh Ex-PM’s Virtual Address Is a Private Event

India has denied any role in the planned virtual address of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, which has been barred from domestic broadcast by Bangladesh citing legal restrictions.

India has denied any role in Sheikh Hasina’s planned speech, saying the former Bangladesh prime minister’s upcoming virtual appearance is being arranged independently by a private media organisation.

The explanation followed Bangladesh’s inquiry about New Delhi’s stance on Hasina’s scheduled speech, arguing that the former leader’s political activities could strain already fragile bilateral relations between the neighbouring countries.

The Indian government had no role in the organisational aspects of the programme and does not subscribe to any views that may be expressed during the event, India's Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. 

Such interaction is being organised by a private media organisation and is a non-governmental initiative, Jaiswal said. He made the comments at a press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday.

India responds as Sheikh Hasina’s planned speech draws diplomatic attention

Sheikh Hasina, 78, Bangladesh’s former prime minister, has been living in self-imposed exile in New Delhi since she fled the country after her government was toppled by student-led protests in 2024.

She is scheduled to appear Wednesday by video link at an event hosted by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia in New Delhi with her son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and other invited speakers.

Hasina has largely stayed out of public view since leaving Dhaka, and the scheduled virtual appearance is her first public event since going into exile almost two years ago.

Hasina was sentenced to death in 2025 in a Bangladesh court on charges of crimes against humanity for the government’s crackdown on the demonstrations in 2024. Hasina has called the verdict legally flawed.

Bangladesh authorities have tried to get her extradited from India, further complicating diplomatic relations between the two South Asian neighbours.

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Bangladesh raises concerns over political activities linked to Awami League

Dhaka asked India for official clarification over Hasina’s participation and cautioned that any political activities by the former prime minister and Awami League leaders could have an adverse impact on bilateral cooperation.

On Monday, M Humayun Kabir, adviser to Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, met the Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka to lodge a formal protest over the planned programme. 

We expect cooperation from India to prevent individuals associated with banned organizations, including Sheikh Hasina, from using Indian territory for political activities that could create instability within Bangladesh, Kabir said.

The relationship between India and Bangladesh has deteriorated since the political upheaval of July 2024, when Hasina's government was overthrown after protests across the country.

Hasina told Reuters last month that she and several Awami League leaders would return to Bangladesh around December and face the courts despite the legal cases against them.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is also expected to visit New Delhi next month for the BRICS summit, which would be another occasion for diplomatic interaction between the two governments. 

Bangladesh bans local media from airing Sheikh Hasina’s address

Separately, Bangladesh announced that local media organisations would not be allowed to broadcast or publish Hasina’s planned virtual speech or related audio, video, interviews or statements.

The broadcast would violate the country's laws that prohibit the publication or transmission of Hasina's public communications within Bangladesh, said Zahed Ur Rahman, the prime minister's adviser on information and broadcasting.

The Awami League condemned the decision, saying the Bangladeshi government was trying to intimidate journalists and restrict media freedom ahead of the former prime minister’s appearance.

The post on X said the party claimed political leaders were using public money on public relations campaigns “to spread misinformation” about the scheduled press conference and Hasina’s participation.

Hasina aide Abu Obaidha Arin has said the programme will go ahead as planned, adding that efforts to stifle dissent could not silence voices beyond Bangladesh’s borders.

India’s clarification is meant to keep New Delhi away from the event as Bangladesh continues to have its legal restrictions in the midst of diplomatic tensions. Sprouts News will track developments on Sheikh Hasina, India-Bangladesh relations, and any official response that may follow the virtual address.