NEW DELHI, Oct 27: India on Friday dismissed media reports about the coup attempts made by certain elements in Bangladesh in nexus with Pakistani secret service Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) as mere “speculative”.
“I feel that the news reports what you have seen are speculative and from the Ministry of External Affairs, we do not want to give any credence to it,” MEA spokesman Raveesh Kumar told reporters here.
Mr Kumar was fielding questions from journalists at the regular weekly briefing on a news channel claiming that there was a major coup attempt in Bangladesh by elements in Bangladesh in support of Pakistan’s ISI.
The TV channel had further claimed that an alleged “secret meet” was held to topple Sheikh Hasina’s Government on October 21.
The meeting incidentally had happened, according to the news channel, just on the eve of Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s visit to Dhaka.
To another question on demands by opposition parties for resignation of Sheikh Hasina Government in Bangladesh in the run up to the general elections in that country, MEA spokesman said, it is true during her recent visit to Dhaka, the Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj did meet opposition leaders but the deliberations were confined on how to “strengthen” the ties between two neighbouring countries.
“We have issued a very detailed press statements (on Ms Swaraj’s visit to Bangladesh). The statements basically lays down the contours of the discussions between External Affairs Minister’s meeting with her counterpart.
There was also a separate press release which touched upon EAM’s meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” he said. Mr Kumar said, “EAM did meet opposition leader Begum Khaleeda Zia…She is now chairperson of a political party (BNP).
The Minister also met the Leader of the Opposition the same evening. Several issues were discussed basically focusing on how to take the relationship forward. How to work on the agenda of advancing and strengthening bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh”. (UNI)
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