Sheikh Hasina to make first public appearance in 2 years in New Delhi
Ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will make her first public appearance in nearly two years on Wednesday, addressing a media event in New Delhi as she prepares for a dramatic return to Bangladesh in December.
Hasina, who has been living in India since her Government was toppled by a student-led uprising in August 2024, is scheduled to speak at a programme organised by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia (FCC South Asia).
The event, set for August 5 from 6 PM to 7.30 PM at the Sir Mark Tully Auditorium on Mathura Road, will be live-streamed on the club’s social media platforms.
The former Prime Minister is expected to outline her future plans during the interaction. Joining her on the occasion will be a prominent group of Bangladeshi figures, including her son and former ICT Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy, ex-Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel, former cricketer and ex-MP Shakib Al Hasan, diplomat Aminul Hoque Polash, counterterrorism analyst Abu Obaidha Arin, and human rights advocates Mahammad Ali Siddique and Shah Md Bakhtiar.
The session will be chaired by Dr Waiel Awwad, President of FCC South Asia and the International Association of Press Clubs.
The timing of the event coincides with the second anniversary of the 2024 protests that ended Hasina’s long political dominance. She faces a death sentence in Bangladesh over allegations related to the crackdown on the student movement.
In a recent interview with Reuters, Hasina declared her intention to return to Dhaka in December and surrender to authorities. Facing the possibility of arrest or worse, the 78-year-old leader said she remains determined to go back.
“They may arrest me on my return, they may even kill me. Still, I have to go,” Hasina was quoted as saying. “My party leaders and workers are being subjected to tremendous repression. If death comes, I want it to come on my own soil, where my parents are buried and where their blood was shed.” She added that several Awami League leaders and workers plan to return with her.
Hasina’s potential homecoming is likely to intensify political tensions in Bangladesh, where the interim Government is still working to restore stability following two years of upheaval.
It could also test relations with India, which has faced repeated demands from Dhaka for her extradition.
In April this year, India’s Ministry of External Affairs stated that it was examining Bangladesh’s extradition request while expressing its desire to strengthen bilateral ties with the new administration in Dhaka.
Hasina has maintained a low profile since arriving in India, avoiding public events and formal media engagements until now.
Her appearance on Wednesday is being closely watched as a significant political statement ahead of her planned return.
