The Bangladesh envoy in Kolkata is scheduled to meet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday, amid tensions following the publication of a report in an Indian newspaper that hinted links between a member of her party and Jamaat-e-Islami.
Quoting Bangladesh Foreign Ministry Sources, leading Indian newspaper The Hindu reported that Mamata had summoned Bangladesh Deputy High Commissioner Abida Islam to discuss the allegation.
However, the Foreign Ministry on Saturday evening issued a press release that said: “Attention has been drawn to some media reports about the summoning of Bangladesh Deputy High Commissioner by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal today. The news is not based on fact."
“This is to clarify that upon request from the Deputy High Commissioner, the Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal has given her time to pay a courtesy call on the Chief Minister on 15 September 2014,” the press release said.
Citing a Bangladesh intelligence report, Kolkata-based Bangla daily Anandabazar Patrika ran a report on Friday that said India's Saradha Group paid Jamaat-e-Islami in Bangladesh to destabilise the Awami League-led government.
The Anandabazar news piece also said the intelligence report accused Ahmed Hassan Imran, a parliamentarian of Trinamool Congress, of playing the key role in sending the money to Jamaat.
According to The Hindu, a senior leader of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) has said Banerjee will give a “piece of her mind” to the deputy high commissioner for “selective leaks in media violating protocol” against a ruling party in the state.
The Anandabazar report is yet to be verified independently.
