Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to make a rare public appearance this Wednesday. The 78-year-old leader, who has been living in self-imposed exile in New Delhi since her ouster in August 2024, will speak via videolink at an event hosted by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia. Her son and several other Awami League figures are expected to join the broadcast.
This event falls on the two-year anniversary of the mass uprising that led to her resignation. Hasina currently faces a death sentence in Bangladesh issued in absentia for her role in the 2024 crackdown on student protesters. Human rights reports estimate that 1,400 people died and over 20,000 sustained injuries during the violence. The current government in Dhaka continues to seek her extradition, a request India has not fulfilled, citing legal considerations regarding the political nature of the charges.
Bangladeshi authorities have prohibited local media outlets from airing the address. Her aides argue that these restrictions do not diminish the validity of her voice or her planned political activities. Meanwhile, the Bangladeshi Foreign Ministry has expressed strong opposition to her hosting public political forums from foreign soil, describing the move as an affront to the victims of the 2024 unrest.
Observers are watching this appearance closely for signals regarding Hasina’s political future. Last month, she announced intentions to return to Bangladesh in December to face court proceedings. Analysts suggest this strategy aims to mobilize remaining party loyalists, though others warn that her return could trigger fresh instability. New Delhi maintains that it has no official role in the event, characterizing it as a private media-led forum.