The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday clarified that the Government of India has no role in the virtual address of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina scheduled in New Delhi on August 5, stating that the programme is being organised by a private media entity.
The Government of India has clarified that it is not associated with the upcoming virtual address of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, scheduled to take place in New Delhi on August 5. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the event is being organised independently by a private organisation and is not sponsored or supported by the Government of India.
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Key Highlights
MEA said the Government of India has no role in Sheikh Hasina's August 5 virtual address.
The event is being organised by the Foreign Correspondents' Club of South Asia, a private body.
India clarified that the programme is not government-sponsored.
The statement came after Bangladesh sought clarification regarding the event.
MEA said opinions expressed at the event will not reflect the Government of India's official position.
Amid reports surrounding Sheikh Hasina's proposed virtual address from New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs issued an official clarification distancing the Government of India from the event.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the programme is being organised by the Foreign Correspondents' Club of South Asia, a private organisation, and that the Government of India has no involvement in either organising or sponsoring the event. The ministry also clarified that the views expressed during the programme would not represent the official position of the Indian government.
The clarification follows queries from Bangladesh regarding India's position on Hasina's participation. The event is expected to mark the second anniversary of the political developments in Bangladesh that led to Sheikh Hasina leaving office.
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Why This Matters
The clarification underscores India's effort to distinguish official diplomatic engagements from privately organised events involving foreign political leaders. It also seeks to avoid any misunderstanding over New Delhi's official position regarding political developments in neighbouring Bangladesh.
India reiterated that the programme is a private initiative and should not be interpreted as an official government event or diplomatic engagement.
