Asif Mahmud accuses India of using the ousted prime minister as a “pawn” to undermine Bangladesh’s sovereignty

National Citizen Party (NCP) spokesperson Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain today accused India of using ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina as a “pawn” to undermine Bangladesh’s sovereignty and demanded that the government summon the Indian high commissioner over her media appearance in New Delhi.

Speaking at an emergency press conference, he said Hasina’s media interaction was a threat to Bangladesh’s sovereignty and alleged that India was using her to disrupt the country’s democratic environment.

He claimed the government had failed diplomatically to prevent Hasina from making political remarks from Indian soil. He urged stronger diplomatic efforts to stop her political activities in India and secure her return to Bangladesh.

Asif warned that the NCP could abandon its earlier position that reconciliation with the Awami League might be considered after justice for the July Uprising killings if such activities continued.

“If this continues, perhaps in the future we too will have to demand that there be no reconciliation, and we may have to take an all-out organisational position,” he said.

He criticised former Bangladesh cricket captain Shakib Al Hasan for participating in the Delhi event, saying it had clarified his political position.

Earlier, NCP Joint Member Secretary Alauddin Mohammad read out a statement calling on India to return Hasina under the extradition treaty and criticising the Bangladesh government for what the party described as insufficient efforts to bring her back and enforce court verdicts against her.

Asif also criticised some Bangladeshi media outlets for airing Hasina’s remarks, saying that a government order restricting the Awami League’s activities prohibits registered media outlets from broadcasting the party’s political statements and programmes.

He blamed the information and broadcasting ministry for failing to enforce the restriction.