Recently, a video has been circulated on the short video-sharing platform TikTok, claiming that the Indian Army Chief stated, "Sheikh Hasina has not resigned; she is still the legitimate Prime Minister of Bangladesh." The post further alleges that the Indian Army Chief also said, "The Bangladesh Army did not want any casualties and requested India to ensure Sheikh Hasina's safety by allowing her to stay in India temporarily. We responded to their request, with the condition that once peace and order were restored in Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Army would bring back the honorable Prime Minister, Desh Ratna Sheikh Hasina, and reinstate her in power."

Fact-Check

An investigation by the Rumor Scanner team revealed that the Indian Army Chief, General Upendra Dwivedi, did not make any such statements regarding the resignation of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina or the involvement of the Bangladesh Army. In reality, the widely circulated claim is entirely baseless and lacks any credible evidence.

A keyword search conducted as part of the investigation found no credible media reports or official sources supporting the claim that General Upendra Dwivedi made such remarks. However, a report published on January 13 by the BBC Bangla website, titled "Communication Between Delhi and Dhaka's Military Leadership During the August Transition," was discovered.

According to the report, during the Indian Army's annual press conference held on January 13 in Delhi, General Dwivedi discussed various aspects of the political transition in Bangladesh while responding to questions from journalists. He mentioned that he maintained a close relationship with Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman throughout the protest period and that their communication remained intact during the power transition. The report further indicates that the process of the former Prime Minister's departure from Bangladesh was coordinated between the top military leadership of both countries. However, there was no mention in the report of the Indian Army Chief making the statements currently being circulated.

Further keyword searches led to the discovery of the full live-streamed video of the press conference on the official YouTube channel of the Indian media outlet The Print. A thorough review of the video did not reveal any instance where the Indian Army Chief made the alleged statements.

Thus, it is evident that the claims associating Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi with comments regarding Sheikh Hasina’s resignation and the involvement of the Bangladesh Army are entirely unfounded and misleading.

In conclusion, the claim circulating online that the Indian Army Chief stated, "Sheikh Hasina has not resigned; she is still the legitimate Prime Minister of Bangladesh," is completely false.

Original News Source: https://rumorscanner.com/fact-check/false-claim-indian-army-chief-comments-sheikh-hasina-resignation/135770