India has lodged a strong protest against Bangladesh for its negative portrayal of India in the country and for holding the Indian govt responsible for its internal problems. The Ministry of External Affairs summoned Md. Nural Islam, Bangladesh Acting High Commissioner to India, on 7 February to register the protest officially.
“The Bangladesh Acting High Commissioner to India, Mr. Md. Nural Islam, was summoned by MEA to the South Block today, February 7, 2025, at 5:00 pm,” MEA said in a statement.
MEA told the Acting High Commissioner that it is regrettable that regular statements made by Bangladesh authorities continue to portray India negatively, holding India responsible for internal governance issues. “These statements by Bangladesh are in fact responsible for the persistent negativity,” MEA added.
The statement issued by MEA said that the Bangladesh govt has been told that India desires a positive, constructive and mutually beneficial relationship with Bangladesh, which has been reiterated several times in recent high-level meetings.
India also said that comments made by ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina has been made in her individual capacity and India has no role to play in that. “Conflating this with the Government of India’s position is not going to help add positivity to bilateral relations,” the statement said.
MEA further added, “While the Government of India will make efforts for a mutually beneficial relationship we expect that Bangladesh will reciprocate similarly without vitiating the atmosphere.”
The MEA action came after the Bangladesh govt summoned the Indian envoy yesterday to protest against a speech made by Sheikh Hasina. Bangladesh’s foreign ministry handed over a protest note to India’s acting high commissioner in Dhaka a day after Hasina made the speech on her Awami League party’s social media channels. In her speech, she accused interim government chief Muhammad Yunus of conspiring to kill her and her sister Sheikh Rehana.
Bangladesh govt requested that India prevent her from making further speeches.
Notably, since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government, anti-India sentiments have skyrocketed in Bangladesh. The interim govt led by Muhammad Yunus has also shown its anti-India stand.
