Sheikh Hasina’s activities in India main challenge to PM’s Delhi visit - Prothom Alo English
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir answered reporters’ questionsFile photoThe “principal challenge” in planning Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to India is the activities of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and leaders of her party currently staying there, Foreign Affairs State Minister Humaiun Kobir has said.
He made the remarks in an interview with Indian newspaper The Hindu on Monday.
Responding to questions from The Hindu on the sidelines of the Bay of Bengal Conversation 2026, organised by the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) in Dhaka, Humaiun Kobir said India needed to realise “the challenges facing the newly elected government” in Bangladesh.
He also said the activities of leaders of the Awami League, whose activities are currently banned in the country, while in exile would not be helpful to India.
Urging India to restrain Sheikh Hasina and her exiled party leaders, Humaiun Kobir said in the interview that the visit will be bilateral, but there are some challenges, and both sides will overcome them through dialogue.
According to him, Bangladesh was not asking for too much when it comes to the main challenge. “Sheikh Hasina and her team are staying in Delhi and they are trying to destabilise another country from there. This is not helping India either.”
Humaiun Kobir accused Sheikh Hasina of being responsible for the deaths of nearly 2,000 Bangladeshi citizens during the suppression of the July-August 2024 uprising. He described her as “a terrorist”.
He said Bangladeshis needed a “clean break” with their past, as people had sacrificed their lives in the process of ousting Sheikh Hasina’s government, which had remained in power for more than 15 years.
The state minister, however, said that discussions with India were under way and that Dhaka welcomed the dialogue.
Describing relations with India as a priority for Dhaka, Humaiun Kobir told The Hindu, “We are seeing some positive signs as India is trying to restrain them. That is the norm between two countries. If they (Hasina and her team) are restrained, then there will be no problem in the [bilateral] relationship.”
Highlighting the role of Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi in this regard, Humaiun Kobir said, “The visit of the Prime Minister will take place at a conducive time and I am hopeful. The PM has never said that he will not visit [India].”
Describing the Awami League leadership as an “obstacle” to normalising Dhaka-Delhi relations, Humaiun Kobir said, “The Indian High Commissioner here is doing a good role. He is trying and hopefully Delhi will be receptive to his opinion and if they give importance to his opinion, then we are ready to engage across the board. We are carrying out our consultations.”
The state minister said Bangladesh was ready to discuss all issues but expected some “reciprocation”.
Saying that Bangladesh would not allow anyone to operate from Dhaka against India’s interests, Humaiun Kobir said he expected India to take similar measures.
“When two governments sit down to discuss keeping in mind national interests, all issues can be addressed,” he told The Hindu.
The Hindu correspondent is visiting Dhaka as a guest of the Centre for Governance Studies to attend the Bay of Bengal Conversation 2026.
