Diplomatic Correspondent:
The recent car explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort, which killed at least 13 Indian citizens and injured several others, has sparked controversy, with some Indian media outlets linking the incident to Bangladesh.
However, Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser, Touhid Hossain, strongly dismissed these claims, calling them baseless and a routine attempt by certain Indian media to blame Bangladesh without cause.
The explosion occurred on the evening of November 10, near the metro station close to Delhi’s iconic Red Fort, leading to widespread panic.
The blast, which took place around 6:52 PM local time, claimed the lives of several victims, including a tragic loss of the car’s driver, while many others were injured. The Indian authorities have launched a thorough investigation into the incident.
Foreign Affairs Adviser, Touhid Hossain, addressed the issue while talking with the journalists at the Ministry on Tuesday, stating, “Whenever
an incident occurs in India, some media outlets quickly attempt to implicate Bangladesh, but there is no evidence to support these accusations.”
He categorically rejected any connection between the explosion and Bangladesh, reaffirming the country’s longstanding policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism and extremism.
Furthermore, the Bangladesh High Commission in India expressed deep condolences for the victims of the tragedy.
The commission released a statement on November 10, emphasising that Bangladesh stands firmly with India in these difficult times. It conveyed its heartfelt sympathies to the families of the deceased and injured.
In addition to the explosion, reports from Indian media claimed that Hafiz Saeed, the head of the Pakistan-based terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba, was allegedly planning the attack using Bangladesh’s territory.
However, Hossain dismissed these reports as unsubstantiated, adding, “No sensible person would believe these claims. There is no reason to accept such baseless allegations.”
This incident follows a series of such explosions and terrorist attacks in India, and has raised concerns about regional security. On the same day as the Red Fort explosion, a suicide bombing took place outside an Islamabad court in Pakistan, resulting in 12 deaths and 27 injuries. These incidents have prompted heightened security measures in both countries.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated but equally significant development, Touhid Hossain addressed concerns regarding Bangladesh’s foreign relations, particularly with China.
Recently, there have been discussions about Bangladesh potentially purchasing arms from China, with some fearing it could lead to sanctions from the United States.
In response, Hossain clarified that Bangladesh continues to maintain a balanced foreign policy, emphasising that the country has not shifted its allegiance towards any one nation, and that it does not expect sanctions.
On the ongoing diplomatic front, the Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser was also questioned about the recent letter sent to the United Nations by the ousted Awami League.
Hossain stated, “Anyone can approach the United Nations with any matter. If they make any recommendations to us, we will consider them.”
