India-Bangladesh relations hit new low over exiled PM’s speech to press in Delhi

Dhaka accuses India of giving platform to a ‘convicted genocider’ by allowing Sheikh Hasina to address journalists Bangladesh has lashed out at India for allowing the ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina to address journalists in New Delhi, plunging already strained bilateral relations to a fresh low. Dhaka accused India of giving a platform to a fugitive it labelled a “convicted genocider” and of undermining efforts to repair ties, after Hasina vowed to return to Bangladesh in December despite facing a death sentence on charges of “crimes against humanity”. The angry response late on Wednesday came hours after Hasina, speaking on the second anniversary of the massive student-led uprising that led to her flight to India, declared: “Whatever fate awaits me, I will return to my people.” Bangladesh’s foreign ministry said it was “outraged” Hasina had been allowed to participate in the event, where it said she and her allies launched “venomous vitriol” against Bangladesh and its people. “This interaction by Hasina on Indian soil stands as an affront to the sovereignty of Bangladesh,” the ministry said. Dhaka also renewed its demands for India to extradite H