What you need to know
- Former Bangladesh leader and fugitive Sheikh Hasina is set to make a speech in Delhi on August 5
- Dhaka has asked New Delhi to clarify its stance on Hasina's speech
- Death toll from floods in Assam rise, relief work ongoing
Here's a roundup of the biggest headlines from India on Tuesday, August 4:
Dhaka seeks New Delhi's stance ahead of Sheikh Hasina's 'homecoming' speech
India needs to be clear about its stance on an upcoming speech by ousted Bangladeshi leader Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh's State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam said, adding that Dhaka did not want the event to adversely impact the improving ties between the neighboring nations.
"We do not want India-Bangladesh relations to be harmed by statements from fugitive accused individuals," she said, adding that India had previously indicated it did not expect fugitives to engage in political activities from its territory.
Hasina is set to make a live but virtual speech on August 5, at an event hosted by the Foreign Correspondents' Club of South Asia, titled "Sheikh Hasina's Homecoming."
A flyer for the event, posted on X, said that Hasina would thank journalists at the club in Delhi, ahead of her "homecoming." It will mark the second anniversary of the student-led uprising which toppled her government.
The event is not organised by the Indian government. It is also not Hasina's first public address from India, where she has been living in exile since being ousted from power in Bangladesh in 2024.
Ties between India and Bangladesh grew strained since Hasina fled to the neighboring nation, where she has lived since. While both countries have made attempts at improving ties, Dhaka continues to formally seek Hasina's extradition, which India says is under consideration.
Meanwhile, Hasina recently told several global news organisations that she planned to return to Bangladesh by December 2026, despite several legal cases and a death sentence.
India's foreign ministry has not publicly responded to Islam's comments yet.
Welcome to our coverage
Hello! and welcome to DW's India blog.
This is Mahima Kapoor reported from New Delhi, and I will be your guide through the noise of fast news coming out of the world's most populous nation.
The weather may be calm in Delhi but not much else is.
Still reeling from the impact of the recent Cockroach movement, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is now fielding calls from the opposition, demanding Home Minister Amit Shah explain the reported use of pellet guns on students.
The BJP has, in turn, accused the opposition of disrupting parliamentary proceedings and wasting millions in taxpayer money.
Ties between India and Bangladesh may be under threat again ahead of a planned speech by ousted Bangladeshi leader Sheikh Hasina. While this won't be Hasina's first public address since moving to India in exile, Dhaka has repeatedly objected to her doing so from Indian soil.
In other news, the death toll from the recent flooding int he eastern state of Assam has risen once again, even as flood waters are receding. Meanwhile, the southern state of Kerala has also reported several deaths due to heavy rainfall.
Stay tuned for all of this and more!