Bangladesh Minister: Sheikh Hasina’s India Stay ‘Principal Challenge’ for PM Visit

Bangladesh’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Humaiyun Kobir, said on Tuesday that the activities of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in India constitute the ‘principal challenge’ in planning an upcoming visit by Bangladesh’s Prime Minister to New Delhi. The remarks, made in Dhaka, underscore the diplomatic sensitivity surrounding the exiled Awami League leader’s presence in India.

Kobir emphasized the importance of ‘strategic autonomy’ for Bangladesh and said India must appreciate the ‘challenges of a newly elected government’ in Dhaka. He argued that the activities of exiled Awami League leaders will not help India, suggesting that their political engagement from Indian soil could complicate bilateral ties. The minister did not specify a date for the Prime Minister’s visit, which has been under discussion.

The comments signal that Bangladesh’s new government is seeking a careful balance in its relations with India while managing domestic political pressures. India has not publicly responded to Kobir’s remarks. The timing of the Prime Minister’s visit will likely depend on behind-the-scenes diplomacy, with both sides weighing the impact of Hasina’s continued presence in India.