Sheikh Hasina Press Conference: Nearly two years after leaving Bangladesh amid one of the country’s biggest political upheavals, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has publicly addressed the media from India for the first time. Speaking virtually at an event hosted by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia in New Delhi on Wednesday, Hasina defended her government’s handling of the 2024 protests, rejected the legal cases against her and insisted that exile has not weakened her bond with the people of Bangladesh.
Her remarks came as Dhaka continues to seek her extradition and political tensions between India and Bangladesh remain under close watch.
Sheikh Hasina Holds First Press Conference from Exile
Sheikh Hasina addressed journalists virtually from India during a Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia event in New Delhi. It marked her first major media interaction from the Indian capital since she fled Bangladesh in August 2024 after the student-led uprising that ended her 15-year tenure as prime minister.
Ahead of the event, India clarified that the programme was organised by a private entity and that the government had no role in hosting or endorsing the event.
Sheikh Hasina Press Conference: ‘I Was Never Separated from My People’
During her address, Hasina became emotional while speaking about Bangladesh’s Liberation War and the current situation in her homeland.
“For the last two years, I watched my beloved Bangladesh suffer…This is not the Bangladesh we built; this is not the Bangladesh for which 3 million people sacrificed their lives in 1971.”
She also said that despite living in exile, her connection with the people of Bangladesh had remained intact and insisted she had never been separated from them.
Hasina Defends Her Government’s Response to the 2024 Protests
Hasina rejected claims that the demonstrations which led to her removal were entirely peaceful.
“Let me begin with the truth about July and August 2024. It was not a peaceful student movement. From the beginning, my government tried to resolve the issue peacefully through dialogue, legal process, and patience. But behind the language of reform, organised groups were working to turn students’ demands into a violent political instrument.”
She alleged that organised groups transformed genuine student demands into a political campaign that eventually sought her resignation.
Sheikh Hasina Press Conference: Former PM Rejects Death Sentence and Criminal Cases
The former Bangladeshi leader also dismissed the death sentence and multiple criminal cases filed against her after leaving office.
“A death sentence, false cases and staged trials cannot frighten me.”
She described the verdict as “part of an illegal, unconstitutional and politically motivated process.”
Hasina was sentenced to death in absentia by a special tribunal after being convicted on charges linked to the deadly crackdown during the 2024 protests. The United Nations has estimated that around 1,400 people were killed during the violence.
Hasina Recalls Her Exit from Bangladesh
Responding to questions about her departure from Dhaka, Hasina said she had very little time to leave her official residence.
According to her written response, she had only 30 to 40 minutes to evacuate as protesters approached. She said she did not initially plan to leave Bangladesh permanently and believed she was travelling to her ancestral home in Tungipara before eventually reaching India.
Sheikh Hasina Press Conference: Bangladesh Government Maintains Legal Stand
Bangladesh’s current government has maintained that Hasina will have to face legal proceedings if she returns. Officials have previously stated that she would likely be arrested immediately upon her arrival before appearing before a court.
Dhaka has also continued to pursue her extradition from India, while New Delhi has maintained that any such request would be handled strictly through legal procedures.
Hasina’s appearance came amid renewed diplomatic sensitivity between India and Bangladesh. Before the press conference, Bangladesh warned domestic television channels against broadcasting her remarks, while India reiterated that the event was privately organised and did not represent the Indian government’s views.
