DHAKA: Bangladesh said on Sunday it was “surprised” and “shocked” that India had allowed fugitive former prime minister Sheikh Hasina to deliver a public speech in New Delhi.
Hasina, 78, fled to neighboring India in August 2024 after a student-led uprising ended her 15-year heavy-handed rule.
He gave his first public speech since then in an audio address to a packed press club in Delhi on Friday.
In November, a Dhaka court found her guilty in the absence of incitement, issued a kill and inaction to prevent atrocities order and sentenced her to hanging.
“The government and people of Bangladesh are surprised and shocked,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka said in a statement.
“Allowing the event to take place in the Indian capital and allowing mass murderer Hasina to openly deliver her hate speech… constitutes a clear affront to the people and Government of Bangladesh.”
He said allowing Hasina to deliver the speech set “a dangerous precedent” that could “seriously harm bilateral relations.”
Bangladesh voters will go to the polls on February 12 to elect new leaders after a period of turmoil that followed the overthrow of Hasina’s autocratic government.
Hasina said in her audio speech that “Bangladesh will never experience free and fair elections” under interim leader Muhammad Yunus.
More than 100,000 people watched the speech, which was broadcast online.
Bangladesh has asked India to extradite Hasina, but New Delhi has not yet commented on the request.
