External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar mentioned on Saturday that the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, decided to stay in India based on her personal circumstances that brought her here.
Hasina moved to India in August of the previous year when her 15 years in power ended amid violence that resulted in many deaths and injuries. Recently, the 78-year-old was sentenced to death in her absence by a special court in Dhaka for "crimes against humanity" due to her government's harsh actions against student protests last year. When questioned about whether Hasina could remain in India for as long as she wishes, Jaishankar replied during an interview with NDTV's CEO and Editor-In-Chief Rahul Kanwal at the HT Leadership Summit, saying, "That's a different matter. She arrived here under specific circumstances, and those circumstances are definitely important for her situation. But ultimately, it is her decision to make."
Shifting attention to the ties between New Delhi and Dhaka, Jaishankar stressed India's position on the importance of having a trustworthy democratic process in Bangladesh. He noted past political challenges in the country, stating, "We heard that the current leaders in Bangladesh were not happy with how previous elections were handled. If the concern is about elections, the top priority should be to conduct elections fairly." Jaishankar ended by sharing his hope for future relations, highlighting that India supports democracy in its neighboring country, and said, "From our perspective, we wish well for Bangladesh. Every democratic nation wants the people's wishes to be fulfilled through a democratic method." He added, "I am confident that the outcomes of the democratic process will reflect a sensible and balanced view of the relationship and hopefully lead to improvements."
