Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made her first public address since being ousted from power in August 2024, declaring that she would return to Bangladesh despite the legal cases against her. Speaking at an event organised by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia in New Delhi, Hasina accused the current BNP-led government of steering the country into economic decline and insisted that her fight was for the people, not for political power.
Addressing journalists and supporters exactly two years after leaving Bangladesh, Hasina said she remained determined to return to her homeland irrespective of the consequences.
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“I will return to my people. I trust them,” she said, adding that fear would not prevent her from fulfilling what she described as her duty towards the people of Bangladesh.
Hasina acknowledged the legal cases filed against her but maintained that they would not deter her from returning. “They may jail me, they may kill me… anything may happen, but I still have to return,” she said, recalling that even in 1981, then-President Ziaur Rahman had tried to stop her from returning to Bangladesh, but she eventually made her way back.
According to Hasina, her proposed return is not driven by a desire to regain power but to restore what she described as security, development, prosperity and peace in Bangladesh.
During her address, the Awami League chief launched a sharp attack on the BNP-led government, alleging that Bangladesh’s economy had deteriorated significantly since her removal from office. She claimed that GDP growth had slowed, industrial production had contracted for the first time in decades, bank loan defaults had increased, poverty levels had risen and investor confidence had weakened.
Hasina also alleged that the events leading to her ouster were part of a larger conspiracy to overturn her government, although she did not provide evidence to support the claim.
Her son and adviser, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, thanked the Indian government for hosting the former prime minister after she left Bangladesh in 2024. He said India had treated Hasina “like a head of state” during her stay, praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government for extending security, respect and necessary facilities.
The event also saw the presence of former Bangladesh cricket captain Shakib Al Hasan, who previously served as an Awami League Member of Parliament from the Magura-1 constituency. Shakib’s political career came under scrutiny following the fall of the Hasina government, after which he faced legal challenges and eventually moved abroad.
During the interaction, Bangladeshi journalist Sultana Rahman asked Hasina about reports suggesting she planned to return to Bangladesh later this year. In response, Hasina reiterated her commitment to return but did not announce a specific timeline.
The address marked Hasina’s first public appearance since leaving Bangladesh and came amid continuing political uncertainty in the country. Her remarks are likely to add further intensity to the already polarised political atmosphere as Bangladesh continues to navigate its post-2024 political transition.
