Diplomatic Correspondent :
The Interim Government of Bangladesh has blamed a recent speech by toppled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, delivered from New Delhi, for escalating instability within the country.
In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday summoned the Acting Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka to formally lodge a protest to prevent Hasina from making further such statements.
Interim Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain shared this information during a view exchange meeting with the media at the Foreign Ministry on Thursday.
“We have formally requested India in writing to restrain Sheikh Hasina from making such statements that go against Bangladesh. We haven’t received any response yet.
Due to her recent activities over the past few days, we have once again summoned the Acting High Commissioner and handed over a protest note, reiterating our request to stop her,” he said.
“We are continuously requesting India to prevent her from making such statements. We will observe the situation and based on India’s response, we’ll determine our next course of action,” he added.
After the July-August uprising, public outrage on Wednesday once again outburst resulted into the vandalism of the Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s house at Dhanmondi 32 in the capital following the Hasina’s speech.
Foreign Adviser described the arson and vandalism incidents at Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s residence in Dhanmondi 32 and other establishments as an expression of public outrage. However, he assured that the government would take measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.
“Her statements are largely false. The remarks she is making are provoking instability in Bangladesh. Therefore, we’ve requested to put an end to this practice,” added the Foreign Adviser. He further remarked, “Had Sheikh Hasina refrained from making such statements, these incidents might not have occurred.”
In reply to another question whether Sheikh Hasina is receiving any support or assistance for her virtual addresses, the adviser said, “It’s difficult for me to answer that. I believe the Indian authorities can respond better.
They have informed us that they are not providing her with any platform. However, she is using platforms that are international, US-based, etc. That is India’s stance.”
Regarding the government’s response to contain vandalism at Dhanmondi, Touhid Hossain said, “The army was deployed at the scene and managed to prevent the situation from escalating further.
Although they couldn’t stop the incidents entirely at the beginning, they were able to contain the situation and minimise further damage.”
When asked how the government would respond if similar acts of vandalism occurred in the future due to Sheikh Hasina’s statements, he replied, “This question would be better answered by the Home Affairs Adviser.
Just because an incident has occurred does not mean it will continue to happen repeatedly. As for the government’s specific measures, I believe the Home Affairs Adviser can provide more detailed information.”
“It’s true that Sheikh Hasina continues to make statements, but her recent remarks have been more aggressive, which may have affected the sentiments of the youth. We have been consistently requesting India to persuade her to refrain from making such provocative statements,” he said.
In a media statement released yesterday, the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing deemed the destruction of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s residence on Dhanmondi Road 32 as an unfortunate and regrettable event.
According to the statement, inflammatory remarks made by fugitive Sheikh Hasina from India regarding the July uprising have provoked widespread public outrage, culminating in this incident. It emphasised that for the past six months, the site had remained untouched, and this sudden act of destruction was directly linked to Sheikh Hasina’s controversial statements.
The statement outlined two primary concerns regarding Hasina’s remarks. Firstly, she has allegedly disrespected the sacrifice of those who lost their lives in the July uprising. Her statements, deemed baseless and provocative, were seen as an affront to the memory of the martyrs who played a crucial role in the movement.
Secondly, despite having fled the country following the mass uprising, Sheikh Hasina continues to issue statements in an aggressive and confrontational manner, similar to her approach while in power. The statement accused her of maintaining a threatening stance against the uprising and its participants while attempting to destabilize the nation.
The press wing claimed that the destruction of the residence was a reaction to Sheikh Hasina’s inflammatory rhetoric. It assured that the interim government remains committed to safeguarding the lives and property of citizens. Law enforcement agencies have been mobilized to restore order and prevent further unrest.
Furthermore, the statement suggested that such incidents could be averted if Sheikh Hasina refrains from making statements that incite public agitation. It urged the Indian government to ensure that its territory is not used to foster instability in Bangladesh and to prevent Hasina from making statements that fuel political tensions.
While drawing attention to the review of the agreements with India, the foreign adviser stated that Bangladesh’s interests were not safeguarded in the power agreements signed with India’s Adani Group. “Those who negotiated the deal failed to protect the country’s interests,” he said.
In response to a question, the advisor said, “Not all agreements with India are made through our ministry, so I am unaware if there are any confidential clauses. However, by and large, such agreements are open.
There is nothing secret here.” “If you’re talking about inconsistent agreements, negotiations should be done before the deal is signed, not afterward. If you wish to review an agreement after it’s signed, it must be done jointly by both parties. You cannot unilaterally cancel it,” he continued.
He asserted, “The Adani deal is a bad agreement; there’s no denying that. Those who negotiated it failed to protect Bangladesh’s interests, which is why I call it a bad deal.”
Regarding the Rampal project, he said, “I am not fully aware of it. However, when it comes to Adani, I can confirm that the amount of money Bangladesh has to pay does not reflect our national interests. If this agreement is to be reviewed, it must be done through discussions with Adani.”
