Key facts
- Bangladesh directed media not to cover Sheikh Hasina's NDTV interview remarks
- Hasina has been living in India since fleeing Bangladesh in 2024
- Dhaka has sought her extradition to face charges
- Episode adds strain to already tense India-Bangladesh relations
Bangladeshi media have been directed not to report on statements made by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina following her interview with NDTV, in a significant act of domestic censorship that reflects the deep political sensitivity around the ousted leader. Hasina, who fled Bangladesh in August 2024 amid a mass student-led uprising and has since been residing in India, used her appearance on NDTV to speak publicly for one of the first times since her removal from power.
The Bangladeshi authorities' response was swift — a directive to the country's media organisations to black out coverage of her remarks. The move signals that Muhammad Yunus's interim government in Dhaka regards any platform given to Hasina as politically threatening and is prepared to restrict press freedom to contain her influence.
For India, the episode is diplomatically uncomfortable. New Delhi has been hosting Hasina on its soil since her departure, a fact that has been a persistent irritant in India-Bangladesh relations. Dhaka has repeatedly demanded her extradition to face charges including those related to the crackdown on protesters during the uprising. India has so far not complied, and the NDTV interview, broadcast from Indian territory, is likely to further strain an already tense bilateral relationship.
The incident also raises pointed questions about press freedom in Bangladesh under the interim administration, coming at a time when the country is navigating a delicate transition and international scrutiny of its democratic health is significant.