Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to address an international press conference virtually on August 5, marking two years since she arrived in India following the political upheaval in Bangladesh in 2024.
The event will take place at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club in New Delhi and is expected to feature senior leaders of the Bangladesh Awami League, along with former ministers, both in person and online. Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and former Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel are also expected to participate.
According to the organisers, Sheikh Hasina will use the virtual briefing to present her vision for Bangladesh, discuss the country’s current political situation, and share her plans regarding a possible return to her homeland. The programme will conclude with a question-and-answer session involving international journalists.
Hasina has been living in India since leaving Bangladesh on August 5, 2024. In recent interviews with international media, she has repeatedly expressed her desire to return despite potential legal and political risks, stating that she is prepared to face arrest or imprisonment if necessary.
Her planned media appearance comes at a time of heightened political attention, with Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Tarique Rahman expected to visit India next month for the BRICS Summit, following an invitation from the Indian government.
Meanwhile, leaders of Bangladesh’s ruling BNP have dismissed Hasina’s return plans as political messaging aimed at boosting the morale of Awami League supporters. The Awami League remains banned from political activities under legislation introduced after the change in government.
Separately, exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen has publicly supported Sheikh Hasina’s right to participate in Bangladesh’s political process, calling for the removal of the ban on the Awami League while also criticising aspects of Hasina’s previous administration.
