The “principal challenge” in planning a visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to India are the activities of deposed premier Sheikh Hasina and her team who are based in India, said State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Humaiyun Kobir on Monday (October 5, 2026).

Responding to questions from The Hindu on the sidelines of the ongoing Bay of Bengal Conversation organised by Dhaka’s Centre for Governance Studies (CGS), Mr. Kobir emphasised the importance of “strategic autonomy” for Bangladesh and said India has to appreciate the “challenges of a newly elected government” in Bangladesh. He further argued that activities of the exiled leaders of the Awami League will not help India.

‘Destabilising a foreign country’

“The visit will be bilateral but there are challenges and through dialogue we will overcome them. The principal challenge is not too much to ask for. Sheikh Hasina and her team are stationed in Delhi and they are trying to destabilise a foreign country sitting in Delhi. This does not benefit India either,” said Mr. Kobir calling on India to restrain Ms. Hasina and her team.

Mr Kobir accused Ms. Hasina of killing around 2,000 Bangladeshi citizens during the crackdown of the uprising of July-August 2024 and described her as a “terrorist”. He said that Bangladesh’s people need a “clean break” from the past as they have sacrificed lives in the process of overthrowing the previous government of Ms. Hasina that ruled for more than 15 years. He, however, said there are ongoing talks with India that have been welcomed in Dhaka.

“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,” said Mr Kobir asserting that ties with India are a priority for Dhaka. “The visit of Prime Minister will take place at a conducive time and I am hopeful. PM has never said that he will not visit [India],” said Mr. Kobir highlighting the role of Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi in this regard.

Indian High Commissioner’s role

“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,” said Mr. Kobir describing the Awami League leadership as a “hindrance” to normalisation of Delhi-Dhaka ties.

The State Minister of Foreign Affairs said that Bangladesh is ready to discuss all issues but expects some “reciprocation”. “When two governments sit down to discuss keeping in mind national interests, all issues can be addressed,” he said arguing that Bangladesh will not allow anyone to work against India’s interest sitting in Dhaka and he expects similar action from India.

Earlier, Mr. Kobir delivered a “ministerial address” at the Bay of Bengal Conversation and said Bangladesh seeks “strategic autonomy” in foreign affairs but will maintain strong relation with global and regional stakeholders.

“Our foreign policy must respond to the changes in Bangladesh. We seek engagement with all based on mutual respect and mutual benefit and national interest. We want a strong partnership but we also want strategic autonomy,” said Mr. Kobir delivering his speech where he did not mention India or any other global partners of his country. Later, speaking to The Hindu, he elaborated on his idea of strategic autonomy and said, “Every country likes strategic autonomy. India likes its strategic autonomy. Bangladesh too likes its strategic autonomy. This idea is more about what we require.”

(The correspondent is visiting Dhaka as a guest of the Centre for Governance Studies to participate at the Bay of Bengal Conversation)

Bangladesh’s former ​Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said ‌on Wednesday (August 5, 2026) that the ​ban on ⁠her Awami League party should be lifted and ‌reiterated that she would return to her ‌country.

Ms. Hasina’s comments ‌were ⁠made during a ⁠media interaction hosted by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of ​South Asia ‌in New Delhi — on the second anniversary of her ouster in ‌2024.

Ms. Hasina had been ​expected to address the event ⁠virtually by video but delivered only an audio ‌message. It was not immediately clear why she did not appear on video, unlike her party colleagues ‌and her son, who ​spoke before her.

It was her first ⁠such interaction with the ⁠media since her ouster.

Bangladesh’s government has proposed the death penalty for enforced disappearances after an official inquiry recorded more than 1,500 cases during deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s 17-year rule.

Ms. Hasina, who was toppled in a 2024 uprising, was accused of using the security forces to crush dissent, with many of those detained coming from her political rivals in the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami, the country’s largest Islamist party.

A commission set up after her overthrow recorded at least 1,569 cases of enforced disappearances during her tenure, with 251 victims still missing and presumed dead.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, who leads the BNP, pledged during the February 2026 elections to end the state-backed violence that marked Ms. Hasina’s rule.

The bill, the Prevention and Remedies for Enforced Disappearance Act, must be passed by Parliament. “If the enforced disappearance results in death, the punishment may be extended to the death penalty”, the cabinet statement read, after the draft was agreed late on Monday (August 3).

It proposes that families of victims be compensated from the property of convicted offenders. While Ms. Hasina is a convicted fugitive in exile, rights groups say that political rivalries, weak law enforcement and a culture of impunity are driving continued violence in Bangladesh.

ms. Hasina, 78, remains in hiding in neighbouring India. She was convicted in absentia by a Dhaka court of crimes against humanity in 2025 and sentenced to be hanged.

She told AFP last week she is determined to return home this year.

The Government has no “involvement” in the press conference to be addressed by Bangladesh’s deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Foreign Correspondents Club (FCC) on Wednesday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday (August 4, 2026).

Speaking at the Ministry’s biweekly press briefing, MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the event is being organised by a “private media entity”.

India’s response came a day after Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kobir met Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi at the Prime Minister’s Office in Dhaka and cautioned that continued political activities by Ms. Hasina on Indian territory could “harm” bilateral ties.

“The interaction you refer to is being organised by a private media entity. The government has no involvement whatsoever in it. Neither does it endorse any views that may be expressed at the forum,” said Mr. Jaiswal in response to a question.

“Exclusive interactive session”

On Sunday (August 2, 2026), FCC president Dr. Waiel Awwad said Ms. Hasina would announce her plans to return to Bangladesh during the “exclusive interactive session” and answer a few questions from the media. Ms. Hasina has been based in India since fleeing Dhaka following a violent student-led uprising that toppled her government on August 5, 2024.

Following his meeting with Mr. Trivedi on Monday (August 3, 2026), Mr. Kobir said that “such activities” could “harm positive progress of bilateral relations between the two countries”.

India had earlier invited Mr. Rahman to participate in the upcoming BRICS summit. However, Bangladesh has not yet confirmed Mr. Rahman’s participation in the event, with diplomatic sources indicating that Dhaka has not appreciated the fact that the BRICS invitation was extended to Mr. Rahman in his capacity as the current Chair of BIMSTEC and not as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

Mr. Jaiswal, however, clarified that Mr. Rahman already has an invitation for a bilateral visit to India in his capacity as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. The invitation was extended soon after he was sworn in on February 17.

“As far as the BRICS summit is concerned, India has separately extended an invitation to the Bangladesh PM in his capacity as the current Chair of BIMSTEC to attend the outreach session of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. The invitation has been extended as per the standard practice being followed in BRICS for the outreach sessions,” said Mr. Jaiswal.

Diplomatic sources in Dhaka, however, said the controversy concerning Ms. Hasina’s press conference has ‘snowballed’ into a tense situation. A high-level diplomatic source in Dhaka said the announcement of Ms. Hasina’s press event had come even as Bangladesh was processing the invitation to the BRICS summit. “There will definitely be an impact,” said the source.

In a notification issued on Tuesday, the Press Information Department of the Government of Bangladesh urged media organisations in the country not to provide a platform for Ms. Hasina’s remarks. The notification referred to the death sentence pronounced against Ms. Hasina last year by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), a special court in Dhaka. It said the Bangladesh Government had observed that “unfortunately”, some news organisations were giving space to reports concerning Ms. Hasina and her party, the Awami League.

The party was formally banned by the Tarique Rahman government through an amendment to an anti-terrorism act in April 2026. Earlier, the interim government led by Mohammed Yunus had banned political activities of the Awami League and its student wing, the Chhatra League, during its August 2024-February 2026 tenure.

Bangladesh on Saturday (June 20, 2026) issued a nationwide security alert over possible unrest ahead of the founding anniversary of the now-disbanded Awami League, the party of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

The party was disbanded by the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government after Hasina’s government was toppled on August 5, 2024, following a violent student-led street protest dubbed the July Uprising.

 “We have intelligence information that Awami League may try to create unrest and instability in the country surrounding June 23,” Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said while addressing a press conference.

Law enforcement agencies have been directed to enforce maximum vigilance during the next few days and take all necessary measures to prevent any acts of sabotage, unrest, or attempts to disrupt public order surrounding the occasion, he said.

Ahmed also said that the government is closely monitoring the situation, and the incumbent government does not consider the Awami League a political party and instead treats it as a “mafia organisation”.

Earlier on Friday (June 19, 2026), in an internal communication to its field-level offices and units, the police headquarters said that the leaders and activists belonging to the Awami League might try to hoist party flags at local offices and bring out processions carrying banners to mark its founding anniversary in different parts of the country.

It added that such activities could trigger confrontations with activists of other political outfits, especially members of the student-led National Citizen Party, creating a risk of deterioration in law and order.

However, Dhaka Metropolitan Police ruled out any specific security threat but said they remained on high alert.

The Awami League has so far issued no notification on their online platforms, but some media reports suggest that the party activists were directed to hoist national and party flags at party offices and stage flash street processions.

  According to media reports, the police arrested at least 103 Awami League leaders and activists in targeted operations across major cities, including the capital Dhaka till Saturday.

On June 2, the police in the southeastern port city of Chattogram arrested 68 leaders and activists, primarily charging them with plotting acts of sabotage and holding unauthorised street marches.

  The Awami League is Bangladesh’s oldest political party, founded in 1949 and led its 1971 Liberation War against Pakistan.

The interim government banned Awami League from participating in the elections that were held in February.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party came to power and Tarique Rahman was sworn in as the prime minister of Bangladesh.

As Bangladesh struggles to maintain normalcy after days of violent strife last week following the death of Inqilab Moncho leader Osman Hadi, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has placed the blame for the violence entirely on the Yunus government.

Sheikh Hasina said that the killing of Osman Hadi was a reflection of the lawlessness under the present interim government.

“This tragic killing reflects the lawlessness that uprooted my government and has multiplied under Yunus. Violence has become the norm while the interim government either denies it or is powerless to stop it. Such incidents destabilise Bangladesh internally but also our relationships with neighbours who are watching with justified alarm. India sees the chaos, the persecution of minorities, and the erosion of everything we built together. When you cannot maintain basic order within your borders, your credibility on the international stage collapses. This is the reality of Yunus’ Bangladesh,” she said.

The former Bangladesh PM alleged that the government of Nobel laureate and Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has placed people with links to extremist ideologies in power.

“I share this concern, as do the millions of Bangladeshis who are prefer the safe, secular state we once were. Yunus has placed extremists in cabinet positions, released convicted terrorists from prison, and allowed groups linked to international terrorist organisations to take roles in public life. He is not a politician and has no experience governing a complex nation. My fear is that radicals are using him to project an acceptable face to the international community while they systematically radicalise our institutions from within,” she said.

“This should alarm not only India, but every nation invested in South Asian stability. The secular character of Bangladeshi politics was one of our greatest strengths, and we cannot allow it to be sacrificed at the whim of a few idiotic extremists,” she added.

Sheikh Hasina also said that Yunus’ ideologies and support for people with extremist links was a key reason for recently strained relations with India.

The Indian government has voiced concerns at the attacks on minorities in Bangladesh after it was reported that a Hindu Man had been lynched during the spiral of violence last week.

“The strain you are witnessing is entirely of Yunus’s making. His government issues hostile statements against India, fails to protect religious minorities, and allows extremists to dictate foreign policy, then expresses surprise when tensions rise. India has been Bangladesh’s most steadfast friend and partner for decades. The ties between our nations are deep and fundamental; they will outlast any temporary government. I am confident that once legitimate governance is restored, Bangladesh will return to the sensible partnership we cultivated over fifteen years, ” Sheik Hasina told ANI.

The former Bangladesh PM alleged that the Yunus government has manufactured this ideology by giving patronage to such people.

“This hostility is being manufactured by extremists who have been emboldened by the Yunus regime. These are the same actors who marched on the Indian embassy and attacked our media offices, who attack minorities with impunity, and who forced me and my family to flee for our lives. Yunus has placed such figures in positions of power and released convicted terrorists from prison,” she said.

“India’s concerns about the safety of its personnel are justified, I am sorry to say. A responsible government would protect diplomatic missions and prosecute those who threaten them. Instead, Yunus grants immunity to hooligans and calls them warriors,” she added.

Sheikh Hasina, who is currently living in exile in India, also criticised recent remarks by a Bangladeshi Politician who had claimed to want to “choke” India’s north east at the Siliguri corridor.

“Such statements are dangerous and irresponsible, reflecting the extremist elements that have gained influence under Yunus. No serious leader would threaten a neighbour upon whom Bangladesh depends for trade, transit, and regional stability. This rhetoric serves only ideological fantasies, not Bangladesh’s national interests. India has every right to view such statements with concern. These voices do not represent the Bangladeshi people, who understand that our prosperity and security depend on strong ties with India. Once democracy is restored and responsible governance returns, such reckless talk will end,” she said.

The former Bangladesh PM alleged that all this was a sign of Yunus trying to realign Bangladesh’s stated foreign policy framework which she says he has no right to.

“Yunus has no mandate to realign Bangladesh’s foreign policy. He was not elected, so has no right to make strategic decisions that could impact generations. Once Bangladeshis can vote freely again, our foreign policy will return to serving our national interests, not the ideological fantasies of extremists who have temporarily seized power. The ties between Bangladesh and India are fundamental and will endure long after this interim government is gone,” she said.

Even as her country struggles to come to grips with the rise of fundamentalist forces, Sheikh Hasina further says that she would only be in a position to return to Bangladesh when the nation has a legitimate government and an independent judiciary.