Bangladesh has strongly criticized India for allowing fugitive former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to deliver her first public address since fleeing the country in 2024. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka expressed that the event in New Delhi was “surprising and shocking” and called it a direct affront to the Bangladeshi people and government.
Hasina’s Exile and Death Sentence
Sheikh Hasina, 78, has been living in exile in India since August 2024, after a student-led uprising ended her 15-year rule, which was marred by allegations of human rights violations, including targeted killings, imprisonment, and suppression of political dissent.
In November 2025, a Dhaka court sentenced her to death in absentia for her role in the crackdown during the uprising, which resulted in over 1,400 deaths. Charges against her included incitement, failure to prevent atrocities, and issuing orders to kill opposition figures.
Content of the Address
On January 23, 2026, Hasina delivered an audio address to the Foreign Correspondents’ Club in New Delhi, watched by over 100,000 people online. In her speech, she criticized Muhammad Yunus, head of Bangladesh’s interim government, calling him a “murderous fascist” and claiming that Bangladesh would not see free and fair elections under his leadership.
The ministry of Bangladesh accused Hasina of openly calling for the removal of the interim government and inciting her supporters to take violent action to disrupt the upcoming elections scheduled for February 12, 2026.
Implications for India-Bangladesh Relations
The Bangladeshi government warned that Hasina’s address sets a dangerous precedent and could strain diplomatic ties with India. Dhaka has repeatedly requested India to extradite Hasina, but the requests have not been acted upon.
The upcoming elections will be the first since Hasina’s removal. Her Awami League party has been banned from contesting after its registration was suspended in May 2025. Leading contenders include the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and a coalition led by Jamaat-e-Islami, the country’s largest Islamist party.
Context
The speech comes at a sensitive political moment in Bangladesh, with more than 170 million citizens preparing to vote. Analysts suggest that Hasina’s public comments could influence her supporters and potentially escalate tensions in the run-up to the elections.
