Toppled Bangladesh leader Sheikh Hasina to speak today: What we can expect

Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has been in exile in India since August 2024, is scheduled to speak today via videolink at an event hosted by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia. This appearance comes two years after her government was ousted following violent protests against a reservation system, during which she is accused of ordering forces to fire on demonstrators. Hasina was sentenced to death in absentia in 2025 for crimes against humanity, a verdict she disputes. Bangladesh has requested her extradition from India, which has resisted. Bangladeshi authorities have banned local media from airing her speech, which is expected to address her political future and potential return from exile.

India has denied any involvement in a planned virtual speech by former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is living in exile in New Delhi. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs stated that the event is being organized by a private media entity and that the government does not endorse any views expressed. Bangladesh had requested clarification from India regarding the address, warning that Hasina's political activities from Indian territory could harm bilateral relations. Hasina, who fled Dhaka in 2024 and was later sentenced to death for crimes against humanity, is scheduled to make her first public appearance via videolink on Wednesday. Bangladesh officials expressed concern that Hasina might use Indian territory for political statements aimed at creating instability.

Bangladesh has officially requested India to clarify its position on former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's planned virtual address from New Delhi. Dhaka warned that permitting political activities by a fugitive could negatively impact bilateral relations between the two countries. This marks Bangladesh's first official response to Hasina's scheduled appearance at an event hosted by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia in Delhi. The event commemorates the second anniversary of the student-led uprising that removed her government. Hasina has been living in India since August 2024, and Bangladesh is seeking her extradition, despite her stated intention to return to Bangladesh in December.