Jaishankar on Sheikh Hasina’s Stay in India: ‘A Personal Decision Influenced by Circumstances’

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Saturday stated that former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s decision to remain in India was a personal one, shaped by the circumstances that forced her to leave Bangladesh.

Hasina, 78, fled to India last year amid a student uprising in Dhaka. In November, a special tribunal in Bangladesh sentenced her to death in absentia.

When asked whether Hasina could stay in India indefinitely, Jaishankar said, “That’s a separate issue. She came here under certain circumstances, and I think those circumstances clearly played a factor in whatever happened to her. But again, that’s something she has to make up her mind about.”

Speaking on India-Bangladesh relations, the Foreign Minister noted past concerns regarding Bangladesh’s electoral processes. “We heard that people in Bangladesh, especially those in power now, had problems with how elections were held in the past. Now, if the issue was elections, the first thing to do is hold fair elections,” he said.

Jaishankar also expressed optimism about the future of bilateral ties, emphasising India’s commitment to democratic principles. “As far as we are concerned, we wish Bangladesh all the best. We believe that as a democratic country, any democratic country would like to see the will of the people fulfilled through the democratic process,” he added.

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