National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has claimed that the Indian delegation attempted to prevent him from attending the funeral prayers of former Bangladeshi prime minister Khaleda Zia during his visit to Dhaka recently.

However, the Speaker maintained that he offered prayers alongside the Bangladeshi public despite pressure and security objections.

In a statement, Sadiq said he travelled to Dhaka to attend Khaleda Zia’s funeral, where delegations from Pakistan, the Maldives, Nepal and Bhutan were transported to the funeral venue in a single bus.

He said the front seats of the bus were occupied by India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and the Indian high commissioner, who had the bus windows covered with curtains.

Ayaz Sadiq said he was seated at the back of the bus with the Pakistan high commissioner.

According to the speaker, he pulled aside the curtains during the journey and waved in response to slogans raised by members of the Bangladeshi public along the route.

Sadiq said that upon arrival at the funeral venue, the Indian high commissioner stood at the bus door and, as he prepared to disembark, Indian officials advised him not to get off, citing security concerns.

“I made it clear that I had come to attend the funeral and that the door should be opened,” Sadiq said, adding that he insisted forcefully before the door was eventually opened.

He said he then got off the bus along with the delegations from Nepal and the Maldives and stood among the Bangladeshi public to offer funeral prayers, while India’s external affairs minister and high commissioner remained seated on the bus.

The speaker claimed that the Indian delegation had no intention of offering funeral prayers and that the Indian high commissioner made efforts to stop him from participating as well.

He said the Indian side appeared to have arrived with a clear plan and preparation.

Sadiq said that despite all the pressure, he attended the funeral prayers and stood with the people of Bangladesh.