Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will address a private event at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of South Asia in New Delhi on Aug. 5 [1].
The appearance marks the second anniversary of her exile [2] and comes as the 78-year-old leader faces a death sentence handed down in absentia by courts in Bangladesh [3, 4].
Hasina was ousted in August 2024 following a mass uprising [5]. Her return to the public eye in India highlights the complex diplomatic relationship between New Delhi and the current administration in Dhaka.
"I will return to Bangladesh in December, no matter what the courts decide," Hasina said [3].
Her spokesperson said the government of Bangladesh is politicizing her exile and attempting to undermine relations between India and Bangladesh [6]. This tension persists as Hasina remains on Indian soil, where she has spent approximately two years in exile [7].
The Indian government has indicated it will not permit the political persecution of a former prime minister while she is in the country, an official from the Indian Foreign Ministry said [8].
Hasina's planned return in December 2026 suggests a willingness to challenge the legal rulings against her directly. The event in New Delhi serves as a platform for the former leader to signal her political viability and her intention to reclaim her place in Bangladeshi public life, despite the severity of the charges against her.
“"I will return to Bangladesh in December, no matter what the courts decide."”
Hasina's public appearance and vowed return to Bangladesh signal a potential escalation in the political instability of the region. By defying a death sentence and leveraging Indian diplomatic support, she is positioning herself as a challenger to the current Bangladeshi government, which could strain the bilateral ties between India and Bangladesh further.
