India Halts Delhi Seminar Amid Concerns Over Bangladesh Relations
Delhi Police did not allow an international seminar to take place on Saturday. The event was planned for New Delhi. Police told the organizers that the seminar had “certain controversies.” This decision came just hours before the event was to begin.
The Foreign Correspondents Club of South Asia organized the seminar. This club is in New Delhi. It worked with the Hand in Hand Foundation, based in Belgium. The seminar topic was “Europe and Asia: From Dialogue to a Partnership.”
People believe the police stopped the event because some speakers had ties to the Awami League. The Awami League is a political party. Its activities are currently banned in Bangladesh. This decision aims to prevent new disagreements between India and Bangladesh.
This follows recent tensions between the two countries. Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina spoke virtually from the same club on August 5. She talked about the situation in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government protested her speech. Dhaka also asked India to hand over Sheikh Hasina. A planned visit to India by Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman was later postponed.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs has often said it had no role in Sheikh Hasina’s remarks. The Indian government states that those comments did not represent India’s views. By stopping Saturday’s seminar, India likely wants to show its desire for better relations with Bangladesh. It wishes to avoid any unnecessary disputes.
Selim Mahmud, the Awami League’s information secretary, was expected to attend. Other invited speakers included Nurun Nabi, a Bangladeshi-American scientist. Veena Sikri, a former Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, was also invited. Czech and German politicians were among the foreign guests.
The event was meant to include a question and answer session. The Delhi Police likely did not want any difficult remarks about Bangladesh during this session. Wael Awwad, President of the FCC, told the media the seminar was for discussion and development. He said he was not sure why the police denied permission.
