Dhaka calls in Indian envoy over Hasina remarks

Dhaka today summoned the Indian High Commissioner here to convey serious concern over India allowing fugitive Sheikh Hasina to continue to make incendiary statements calling upon her supporters to engage in terrorist activities in Bangladesh, aiming to thwart the upcoming parliamentary elections. The Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs this afternoon, according to a press release issued by the ministry.

“Bangladesh reiterated her call for the expeditious extradition of Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to face the sentences handed down by the judicial authorities in Bangladesh,” read a foreign ministry’s statement. The Ministry also drew the attention of the envoy to anti-Bangladesh activities by fugitive Awami League members staying in India, including planning, organizing and helping to carry out terrorist activities inside Bangladesh in order to hinder the upcoming elections. 

The Indian government was called upon to expeditiously act to end the criminal actions by these fascist terrorists and extradite them to Bangladesh as soon as possible, said the statement. The Ministry further sought India’s cooperation in preventing the escape to India of the suspects involved in the recent attempted assassination of Bangladeshi political leader Sharif Osman Hadi and, in case they manage to enter into Indian territory, to ensure their immediate apprehension and extradition to Bangladesh. 

The Ministry emphasized that as a neighbour, India is expected to stand with the people of Bangladesh in upholding justice and safeguarding democratic processes. The High Commissioner of India emphasized that India looked forward to peaceful elections in Bangladesh and expressed his country’s readiness to extend all cooperation in this regard, said the release.