India has said it has no role in a proposed media event featuring former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi, stressing that it is being organised by a private media body…reports Asian Lite News Desk
The Indian government on Tuesday said it has no involvement in a proposed media event featuring former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi, emphasising that the programme is being organised by a private media organisation and does not reflect the government’s views.
Responding to questions during the Ministry of External Affairs’ (MEA) bi-weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the government neither organised nor endorsed the event, which is scheduled to be hosted by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club (FCC) of South Asia on Wednesday.
“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.
The clarification follows concerns raised by Bangladesh over reports that Sheikh Hasina, who has been staying in India since leaving Dhaka last year, is expected to deliver a virtual address at the event on August 5.
According to reports, the issue was discussed during a meeting on Monday between Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir and India’s newly appointed High Commissioner to Dhaka, Dinesh Trivedi. Bangladesh reportedly expressed concern that the event could adversely affect the recent improvement in bilateral relations.
Replying to another question, Jaiswal said India had formally invited Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman for a bilateral visit following his assumption of office in February 2026.
He also confirmed that Rahman had been invited to attend the outreach session of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi in his capacity as the current Chair of BIMSTEC.
“As far as the BRICS Summit is concerned, India has separately extended an invitation to the Bangladesh PM in his capacity as the current Chair of BIMSTEC to attend the outreach session of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi,” Jaiswal said.
“The invitation has been extended as per the standard practice being followed in BRICS for the outreach sessions. Other heads of regional groups have also been invited in a similar manner,” he added.
Earlier, Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that it had received India’s invitation for Rahman to attend the BRICS Summit and said the matter had been forwarded to the Prime Minister’s Office for a decision.
“We have received the invitation and forwarded it to the Prime Minister’s office for consideration, and the decision will be made by the Prime Minister,” a Bangladesh Foreign Ministry official said.
The official added that Bangladesh had received the invitation in its capacity as the current BIMSTEC chair, ahead of the regional bloc’s 30th anniversary in 2027, when Dhaka is scheduled to host the BIMSTEC Summit.
The 18th BRICS Summit is scheduled to take place in New Delhi on September 12 and 13.
