India Must Respect Bangladeshi Sentiments: Shama Obaed

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam on Thursday said India needs to be more sensitive to the sentiments of the people of Bangladesh and decide whether it will allow former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and Awami League leaders to carry out what she described as conspiratorial activities from Indian territory.

"If the autocratic, fascist and convicted Awami League leaders, including the party chief, continue such activities from Indian soil and the Indian government does not stop them, it will certainly create concern among the people of Bangladesh," she told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Shama Obaed said discussions between the two countries would continue, but urged India to take a careful decision regarding its future approach towards Bangladesh.

She said Bangladesh wants strong bilateral relations with India based on equality, mutual respect and dignity.

"India is a democratic country. India itself has to decide what its foreign policy regarding Bangladesh will be. We want good relations in the interests of the people of both countries," she said.

The state minister accused the Awami League, whose activities are currently banned, of attempting to revive what she called an old political narrative linking Bangladesh with militancy and extremism.

Rejecting such allegations, she said Bangladesh has an elected government backed by the people and that claims of instability have no credibility domestically or internationally.

Shama Obaed said Bangladesh has already conveyed its concerns to India through diplomatic channels over Sheikh Hasina's activities from Indian territory.

"When a convicted criminal sits on Indian soil and makes such statements, and the Indian government allows it, naturally it creates concern for Bangladesh and its people," she said.

She also criticised the Awami League's record on democracy and human rights, saying the party's past actions had damaged its credibility.

Despite the ongoing tensions, Shama Obaed stressed that Dhaka wants constructive engagement with New Delhi, saying the two countries have many issues—including water sharing, energy cooperation and border matters—that require continued dialogue.

On Bangladesh's possible participation in the BRICS Summit, she said the country remains interested in the multilateral platform as the current chair of BIMSTEC, but the final decision on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's participation would depend on his schedule.