Is New Delhi offering space to Hasina and her party leaders in India?

A year’s back, when a mass uprising in Bangladesh ousted the sitting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and following which the Awami League party chief was compelled to take shelter in India, a few (probably none) political observers thought, the daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had to stay in the neighbouring  country for more than a year. More precisely, the Union government in New Delhi has not yet announced that Hasina is given official shelter in India. By now Hasina’s passport has been suspended by the interim government of Bangladesh and hence her movement needed to be restricted. Meanwhile, the Muhammad Yunus-led caretaker government in Dhaka continues pursuing Hasina’s deportation to face trials in her home country following hundreds of police complaints lodged against her along with many associates.

The recent initiative by Dhaka also shocked the people of India, where the regime alleged that many Hasina supporters were taking shelter in Kolkata and Delhi and even they are running offices in both the busy cities. An official statement issued by the Bangladesh ministry of foreign affairs on 20 August 2025 stated that Dhaka’s attention was drawn to ‘reports of offices of the banned political party Bangladesh Awami League being established’ in Delhi and Kolkata. This development occurs against the backdrop of growing anti-Bangladesh activities by Awami League leaders from the Indian territory, said the statement, alleging that many senior Awami League leaders were taking shelter in India.

Activities by the banned BANGLADESH AWAMI LEAGUE on Indian soil risks long-term friendship and multifarious engagements between #Bangladesh & #India as also mutual trust and respect between two (🇧🇩-🇮🇳) #people. pic.twitter.com/nzVqKaajNE

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs (@BDMOFA) August 20, 2025

It also asserted that  any form of political activity and campaigning against the interest of Bangladesh by its nationals, particularly by absconding leaders or activists from a banned political party, staying on Indian soil, legally or illegally, including the establishment of offices, constitutes an unambiguous  affront to the people and State of Bangladesh. This development also risks upholding the good-neighbourly relations with India, driven by mutual trust and respect, the statement added. Finally Dhaka also asked New Delhi to take immediate steps to prevent any anti-Bangladesh activities by Bangladeshi nationals from the Indian soil, including an immediate closure of political office(s) of the banned Awami League inside India.

However, India’s ministry of external affairs swiftly dismissed the allegation as misplaced and clarified that New Delhi never allows political activities against other countries to be carried out from Indian soil. “We are not aware of any anti-Bangladesh activities by purported members of the Awami League in India or of any action contrary to Indian law,” said the ministry spokesperson, while addressing the media in Delhi recently, adding  that India expects a free, fair and inclusive elections held at the earliest in Bangladesh to ascertain the will and mandate of its citizens.

Bangladesh chief election commissioner recently announced that the next general elections will be held in the first week of February 2026. The interim government’s chief adviser Prof Yunus has already made it clear that the authority will enable all eligible citizens, including those living abroad, to cast their votes in a festive atmosphere to elect their representative for the 300-member Jatiya Sansad. He also declared that no position, whether elected or appointed, will be accepted by him after the  polls. However,  speculations surfaced that Prof Yunus will be a unanimous choice for the post of President (of People's Republic of Bangladesh) after the current head of the state  Mohammed Shahabuddin completes his term by next two years.

Meanwhile, the caretaker government warned the media outlets in Bangladesh to avoid airing or broadcasting any message from Hasina. Accusing the dethroned premier of making false and inflammatory claims on many occasions, the government asked all satellite news channels and other digital platforms in the country to ignore those, which otherwise will invite immediate legal actions. Earlier, the International Crimes Tribunal in December 2024 prevented Hasina from delivering hate speeches.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech on 15 August mentioned infiltration (from Bangladesh) and demography changes (by increasing Muslim population in bordering states). Now serious actions may take place against 20 million illegal Bangladeshi Muslims taking shelter in India.  Asaduddin Owaisi, a vocal Parliamentarian from Hyderabad, commented that New Delhi should start deporting the illegal Bangladeshi nationals with Hasina. The top leader of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen  questioned why India was giving hospitality to the  deposed Bangladeshi leader, even after she was creating problems by giving statements and speeches from time to time. The Muslim lawmaker also  urged New Delhi to honour the popular revolution (July-August 2024 uprising) and take initiative to improve relations with the current regime in Dhaka.

The news relating to the temporary offices of Awami League  in Kolkata and Delhi were spread by a number of Bangladeshi media outlets which quoted a recent BBC Bangla report. Those outlets claimed that over 2000 Awami League ministers and leaders along with retired bureaucrats, army & police officers, law practitioners and others are taking shelter in India with extended medical and tourist visas. They have rented common accommodations to assemble regularly and discuss in personal meetings or with digitally connected leaders based in other parts of the world. On one occasion, Hasina also reportedly addressed the small gathering.

Now will it be possible with no patronage from New Delhi, a question remains relevant at this moment.

Also Read: Devotion beyond the Plate