---
title: "New Delhi Disavows Role in Sheikh Hasina Press Event Amid Rising Friction with Dhaka"
url: https://projectchintan.com/article/india-denies-involvement-hasina-press-conference-diplomatic-row-2xz6p
publisher: Project Chintan
author: Project Chintan Newsroom
section: India
published: 2026-08-06T16:45:18.000Z
modified: 2026-08-06T19:02:26.876Z
language: en-IN
---

# New Delhi Disavows Role in Sheikh Hasina Press Event Amid Rising Friction with Dhaka

Indian officials maintain they had no hand in a controversial media appearance by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The event sparked diplomatic protests and violent backlash within Bangladesh.

## Key takeaways

- India maintains that Sheikh Hasina's press conference was a private media event with no government involvement.
- The Bangladesh government described the event as a 'grievous insult' to those who died in the July 2024 revolution.
- Violence erupted in Bangladesh targeting public figures who participated in the Delhi press event via video link.
- Tarique Rahman has yet to confirm his attendance at the BRICS summit in India following the diplomatic dispute.

## The Diplomatic Fallout

Indian authorities are distancing themselves from a high-profile press event held by deposed Bangladeshi leader Sheikh Hasina at the Foreign Correspondents Club in Delhi on August 6, 2026. Despite a formal protest from the Bangladeshi Ministry of Foreign Affairs characterizing the appearance as an affront to national sovereignty, New Delhi officials insist the government's policy of non-interference remains unchanged. The event occurred simultaneously with a memorial held at the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi honoring students killed during the July 2024 uprising.

## Key Facts

- Sheikh Hasina utilized the Delhi-based Foreign Correspondents Club to accuse the interim administration of attempting to erase the memory of the Liberation War.
- Sajeeb Wazed Joy, Hasina's son, stated the Awami League would only apologize for the 2024 violence once the killers of police officers are apprehended.
- Retaliatory violence in Bangladesh targeted former cricket captain Shakib Al Hasan after his video participation in the press conference.
- External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal labeled the presser an initiative of a private media entity without state involvement.
- The diplomatic rift coincides with an unconfirmed invitation for Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to attend the BRICS summit in India.

## Background

Relations between the two neighbors have grown strained following the July 2024 mass uprising that ousted Hasina. The current Bangladeshi administration, led by Tarique Rahman of the BNP, has granted immunity to anti-Hasina protesters via an indemnity law. Dhaka claims it warned New Delhi about the potential negative impact of Hasina's public appearances on the bilateral reset prior to the FCC event. Meanwhile, Hasina continues to challenge the legitimacy of the current government, describing their ascent as the result of a staged election.

## Why It Matters

This incident highlights the delicate balancing act India must perform as it hosts a deposed leader while attempting to stabilize relations with a new, hostile administration in Dhaka. The tension threatens to stall high-level diplomatic engagements, including the upcoming BRICS summit, and risks fueling further civil unrest within Bangladesh. Indian sources continue to argue that the verbal sparring between the Awami League and the current Dhaka government is a domestic matter for Bangladeshis to resolve independently.

Source: The Hindu — National

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Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/india-denies-involvement-hasina-press-conference-diplomatic-row-2xz6p
Reported from: The Hindu — National