Opinion | India Should Move On With Bangladesh. Let 'Genocider, Mass Murderer' Hasina Return

It is time for India to close the Sheikh Hasina chapter for good and let the fugitive Prime Minister go back to Dhaka and face the law. It is, after all, Bangladesh’s internal matter.

Dhaka had been cautioning India for the past many weeks to not allow Hasina to speak at a public forum.

Source : ABP Live

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• Hasina declared readiness to return despite facing death sentence.

This week, India undertook a decisive shift in its foreign policy, particularly in relation to its approach toward Bangladesh, a country it has historically regarded as its closest neighbour and ally. Until August 5, 2024, Dhaka was embraced by New Delhi as a key partner in India’s strategic landscape. This deep-rooted bond was underscored by the tumultuous history involving former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who faced a violent ousting from power. In her moment of peril, she sought refuge in India, a haven she has turned to in the past during times of political upheaval.

However, the current situation marks a notable departure from previous scenarios. Unlike times before, the role played by New Delhi in this particular crisis has crossed into the realm of Bangladesh's internal affairs, stirring speculation and concern. The dynamics of this relationship have shifted dramatically, reflecting not only the complexities of regional politics but also the broader implications for both nations as they navigate their intertwined destinies.

On Wednesday, August 5, Dhaka was alive with the fervent celebrations marking the second anniversary of the July Revolution. Meanwhile, across the border in New Delhi, the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia transformed into an unexpected stage for a virtually broadcast address by Sheikh Hasina, the ousted and fugitive Prime Minister of Bangladesh. This marked a notable occasion, as it was the first time she spoke to the media live from the confines of the safe house where the Indian government has taken her for protection.

Unlike previous occasions in which she had addressed the Indian press from the same club, this time she took questions in real-time and answered each one of them. The last time, only a recorded message was broadcast to the media. On Wednesday, although the former Bangladesh Prime Minister took live questions, she was not permitted to appear on camera, so she spoke only via audio.

She began her opening remarks with a cry in her voice in an emotional undertone about her struggles and her family and that of her father – Sheikh Mujibur Rahman – who was considered to be the “founding father” of Bangladesh, but not anymore. Hasina, who has been telling her sob tale since time immemorial, left no stone unturned to sing praises of her time as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh and the achievements of her party – Awami League – that now stands on the brink of falling apart.  

Her opening remarks resonated with a blend of emotion and desperation, as her voice trembled with the weight of memories and struggles. She recounted the trials faced by her and her family, particularly invoking the legacy of her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, revered for his role as the "founding father" of Bangladesh, yet now his memory seemed overshadowed.

Speaking with the practiced eloquence that has characterised her numerous previous speeches on the same matter, Hasina made no attempt to hide her contempt for the current government in Dhaka, led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

Hasina – whom Dhaka now calls “genocider” and “mass murderer” – vividly painted a picture of her tenure as Prime Minister, highlighting the achievements of her party, the Awami League, which now teeters on the edge of disarray and uncertainty. In her narrative, she wove a tapestry of triumphs and challenges, clinging fiercely to her perspective even as the political landscape shifted around her.

The primary purpose of the press conference was to deliver a bold announcement to the international community: she is prepared to return to Bangladesh, fully aware that this decision could lead her to confront the death sentence imposed by a special tribunal in Dhaka.

Since November 2024, Hasina has been residing in India, having been sentenced to death in absentia for her alleged involvement in crimes against humanity. These charges stem from the violent crackdowns executed by her security forces against protesters in July-August 2024. Nearly 1,400 lives were lost during the protests, according to the United Nations.

Dhaka had been cautioning India for the past many weeks to not allow Hasina to speak at a public forum. The BNP dispensation had even warned India’s newly appointed envoy to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi, a political appointee, to not give green signal to any such activities that are “aimed at creating instability within Bangladesh.” This was told to Trivedi by PM Rahman’s Foreign Affairs Advisor Tarique Rahman.

India, which has twice extended formal invitations to Rahman to visit New Delhi, has distanced itself from Wednesday’s media conference. On Tuesday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the event was “being organized 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.”

But as the event got over, an “outraged” Dhaka responded strongly calling out India and blamed New Delhi for not responding to their repeated requests to send Hasina back under the 2013 Extradition Treaty between India and Bangladesh.

In an official statement issued by Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dhaka said, “Bangladesh is outraged that the absconding convicted genocider Sheikh Hasina was allowed this evening to engage in live interaction with the media in New Delhi where she and her henchmen launched venomous vitriol against the State of Bangladesh and her people.

Dhaka deeply regrets that in spite of concerns conveyed apriori to the Government of India about the likely ramifications of this event on the reset of our bilateral relations, this public event was permitted to be held.”

“On a day when the people of Bangladesh are observing the second anniversary of the July Revolution, this interaction by Sheikh Hasina on the Indian soil stands as an affront to the sovereignty of Bangladesh and a grievous insult to the martyrs of the July Revolution,” it added. The readout also said that Dhaka intends to have a “constructive, mutually beneficial, and forward-looking relationship with India based on sovereign equality, mutual respect, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, and national dignity.”

Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed, even called Bangladesh as “another Pakistan” where terrorists are now permitted to roam freely.

This situation arises at a time when India is anticipating a significant visit from Rahman, who has chosen China for his first state visit abroad  since coming to power, as relations with India continue to deteriorate. Within New Delhi's strategic community, there is a prevalent belief that Bangladesh "needs" India. However, this perspective often overlooks the fact that India equally depends on Bangladesh for its internal security.

India has successfully managed this relationship up until August 2024, but allowing it to reach an irreversible point could have serious consequences for New Delhi. Therefore, it is crucial for India to facilitate Hasina's return to Bangladesh in December, as she has decided, and to normalize relations with Dhaka through an innovative foreign policy strategy.

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