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Published : 23 Mar 2025, 01:38 PM
Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has indicated that Delhi was aware of the mounting discontent against Sheikh Hasina in Bangladesh leading up to the ouster of her government on Aug 5, 2024, but could not intervene as it lacked the necessary leverage over the former prime minister.
In a meeting with the Consultative Committee on External Affairs on Saturday, Jaishankar acknowledged that India, like other key international players, had been closely monitoring the volatile situation in Bangladesh but could only offer "advice" to Dhaka, Indian daily The Hindu reports.
He referred to recent remarks by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, who said that the UN had urged the Bangladeshi army against using force on unarmed protesters, warning that such actions could lead to a ban from peacekeeping missions, The Hindu reports.
During the meeting, committee members held frank discussions with Jaishankar on India's foreign policy, with a focus on regional developments, particularly in Bangladesh, Myanmar, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan.
Despite tensions between Delhi and Dhaka, especially after India granted refuge to Hasina, the interim government in Bangladesh has begun engaging with India, Jaishankar told the Members of Parliament.
In December 2024, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Dhaka, though the Ministry of External Affairs remains coy on whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a formal meeting with Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus at the BIMSTEC summit in Bangkok next month.
Meanwhile, Yunus has hosted several international dignitaries and is preparing for a visit to China, where multiple agreements are expected to be signed, including deals to boost air connectivity between Chattogram, Dhaka, and Chinese cities.
Commenting on the influence of "external actors" in Bangladesh, Jaishankar said he viewed China as a regional "competitor" rather than an "adversary".
