Sheikh Hasina to make first public address from exile today
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Sheikh Hasina, ousted former prime minister of Bangladesh, is to deliver a rare public address from exile today via videolink at an event hosted by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia. Bangladesh’s interim government has banned local media from broadcasting the speech, even as her son and other party leaders are expected to join.
The 2024 Crackdown
Sheikh Hasina fled Bangladesh in August 2024 after student-led protests against a government job reservation system escalated into a violent uprising. She allegedly ordered security forces to fire on protesters, leading to an estimated 1,400 deaths and more than 20,000 injured. In 2025, she was sentenced to death in absentia for crimes against humanity, a ruling she has dismissed as legally void. An official inquiry also documented 1,500 cases of enforced disappearances during her 17-year rule, targeting political rivals from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Jamaat-e-Islami.
Speech and Media Ban
Hasina is due to appear via videolink at an event hosted by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia, with her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and former education minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel. Bangladeshi authorities have banned local media from broadcasting the speech. Her aide, Abu Obaidha Arin, said Dhaka’s 'efforts to silence dissent cannot extinguish voices' beyond the country’s borders. In January, an audio address by Hasina to the FCC drew more than 100,000 listeners, in which she labeled interim leader Muhammad Yunus a ‘murderous fascist’.
Extradition and India’s Role
Hasina has been living in self-imposed exile in New Delhi since 2024. Bangladesh’s current government continues to seek her extradition following the death sentence. India has resisted these requests and denied any role in organizing the virtual address, noting the event is privately organized. The Awami League remains active in exile, with Hasina’s son and other leaders maintaining political visibility.
What's Next
The FCC event is scheduled for Wednesday, and it remains unclear how many viewers will be able to access the speech amid the media ban. Analysts warn that Hasina’s continued activism from exile may further complicate already strained Bangladesh-India relations.
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Sheikh Hasina to make first public address from exile today
