‘Be mindful’: India lodges protest after Bangladesh leader Yunus' aide makes controversial remarks on Sheikh Hasina

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday condemned controversial remarks made by a key advisor of Bangladesh's interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, Hindustan Times reported

In a now-deleted Facebook post, Mahfuj Alam, a key aide to Yunus, said India should recognise the uprising that forced Sheikh Hasina to resign as the prime minister of Bangladesh, reported PTI.

Registering strong protest, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal cautioned leaders of the neighbouring country. India wants to "remind all concerned to be mindful of their public comments", Jaiswal said during a press conference.

Asserting India's interest in fostering relations with the interim government of Bangladesh, he said such remarks “underline the need for responsibility in public articulation”.

“We have registered our strong protest on this issue with the Bangladesh side. We understand that the post being referred to has reportedly been taken down,” Jaiswal noted. 

"While India has repeatedly signalled interest in fostering relations with the people and the interim government of Bangladesh, such comments underline the need for responsibility in public articulation," the MEA spokesperson added.

Jaiswal has pointed out that India supports a democratic, stable, peaceful, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh. 

This comes a day after India expressed concern over incidents of violence against Hindu minorities and others in Bangladesh. India emphasised that the interim government in Dhaka has the primary responsibility of protecting their life and liberty.

Notably, the strained relationship between the two countries follows the formation of the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. Bangladesh's former prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, was forced to resign after violent protests erupted in the country against reservations in government jobs. Mobs ransacked her house after she fled the country in August.

On December 16, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus said the elections in the country could be held between late 2025 and early 2026, depending on implementation of various reforms.

(With agency inputs)