Dhaka hopes New Delhi won't undermine any pillar of state again: FM

Seeking an enabling environment to take forward relations with India, Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman today (10 August) said Bangladesh wants all countries across the world to respect the entire structure of the state, and he believes India has understood Bangladesh's concerns.

"My impression, after speaking with them, is that they have understood it. We hope they will not do anything to undermine any pillar of our state again. This is our expectation, and based on my conversations with them, I am somewhat reassured that this incident will not be repeated," he told reporters at the MoFA, referring to convicted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's recent press appearance in New Delhi virtually.

Khalilur said a state has three pillars - Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary - and for convicted Hasina, her place is within the judiciary.

Explaining Bangladesh's position, the foreign minister said Sheikh Hasina has been tried and convicted by a competent court and that any defence or legal response should be made through the judicial process.

"So what Hasina did on the 5th August was… she showed disrespect to the judiciary, one of the pillars of the state. And the Indian government allowed that to happen," Khalilur said.

He also clarified that an invitation was extended and addressed to the Chairperson of BIMSTEC. "Please try to understand this distinction."

"Prior to that, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, wrote a letter to our Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, which was handed over on the day our government was formed. He extended an invitation there," he said.

"There is an invitation. We will look into it at an appropriate time," he added.

Pressed on whether Bangladesh would accept either invitation, the foreign minister said, "We have not taken any policy decision on this matter yet."

Briefing the reporters on the outcome of the courtesy meeting between the Prime Minister and Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi, Khalilur said Bangladesh urged India to expedite the extradition of convicted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and hand over the suspected killers of Shaheed Osman Hadi to Bangladesh as early as possible.

"We asked them to expedite this extradition process. We hope India will respond positively in this regard," the foreign minister said.

Bangladesh also hoped that the issue that emerged on 5 August following Hasina's virtual press appearance would not be repeated, as Dhaka wants an enabling environment to take forward bilateral relations.

Regarding the Hadi issue, the foreign minister said Bangladesh has provided all the documents to India and expects the quick extradition of his suspected killers from India.

"This is an extremely sensitive issue for us as well. We requested that these killers be extradited to us as quickly as possible," he added.

Khalilur said matters such as river management and other substantive bilateral issues are not usually discussed during a courtesy meeting.

Asked about India's reaction to Bangladesh's position concerning Sheikh Hasina's activities on August 5, the foreign minister said New Delhi had understood the seriousness of the matter.

"No, regarding 5th August, we have clearly stated our position. The Indian authorities have understood its importance with gravity," Khalilur said.

"They told me this yesterday (9 August), and they told the prime minister today as well," he added.

Khalilur said the Indian High Commissioner also shared his experiences in Bangladesh over the past few weeks with the Prime Minister and "expressed his immense pleasure at being in Bangladesh."

Bangladesh on 7 August said it desired to maintain 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.

"Regrettably," the Ministry said, "Bangladesh's repeated requests to the government of India for returning convicted criminal Hasina to Bangladesh under the Extradition Treaty signed between Bangladesh and India in 2013 have not yet elicited a response."

"On the contrary, allowing her the opportunity to openly interact with the media under any pretext is deeply hurtful to our people's sentiments and detrimental to the development of harmonious bilateral relations between Bangladesh and India," said the Ministry.

Bangladesh was outraged that the absconding "convicted genocider" Sheikh Hasina was allowed this evening to engage in a live interaction with the media in New Delhi, where she and her henchmen launched venomous vitriol against Bangladesh and its people.