3 weeks ago
Ousted Hasina vows December return, straining India-Bangladesh ties
Sheikh Hasina used to be the leader of a country called Bangladesh.
In August 2024, many people protested, and she left quickly and has been staying in India ever since.
Recently, she talked to reporters on a video call for the first time.
She said she misses her country and plans to go back in December.
She said her country is having a hard time and asked other countries for help.
But the new leaders of Bangladesh are not happy about her talk.
They think she did bad things and should not be allowed to speak.
She was given a very serious punishment by a court for things that happened during the protests.
Many people in Bangladesh are upset that she did not say sorry for those events.
The disagreement between the old leader and the new leaders is making the friendship between Bangladesh and India more difficult.
Ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina held her first virtual media interaction from India on August 6, vowing to return to Bangladesh in December.
Bangladesh's foreign ministry reacted with outrage, calling Hasina an "absconding convicted genocider" and warning the event could damage bilateral relations.
Hasina cited economic decline, with GDP growth falling to 2.2% from 6.8%, and called for international support to restore democracy and justice in Bangladesh.
Hasina, sentenced to death over the killing of protesters in July-August 2024, avoided expressing regret, a stance defended by her son and former adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy.
The episode has strained India-Bangladesh ties, putting Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's possible BRICS summit visit and water treaty negotiations at risk.
- Who
- Sheikh Hasina, ousted former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, joined by her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy; the anger comes from Bangladesh's BNP government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
- What
- Hasina's first question-taking media interaction since fleeing, in which she vowed to return to Bangladesh and called for international support to restore democracy and justice.
- Where
- India, where Hasina is staying at an undisclosed location, in a virtual interaction viewed critically in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
- When
- The interaction took place on Wednesday, August 6; Hasina fled Bangladesh on August 5, 2024, and has lived in India since.
- Why
- To rally support for the banned Awami League and position herself for a political comeback before the next elections in Bangladesh.
Hasina and the Awami League
Bangladesh government (BNP)
Responsibility for violence during the 2024 unrest
Hasina and the Awami League
Hasina portrays the unrest as violent, citing destruction of property, killing of police officers and targeting of media; her son says the Yunus and BNP regimes have legalised killings of police, civilians and Awami League members.
Bangladesh government (BNP)
Bangladesh's foreign ministry calls Hasina an "absconding convicted genocider", holding her responsible for the killing of protesters in July-August 2024, for which she was sentenced to death.
Apology for the killing of protesters
Hasina and the Awami League
Hasina did not apologise or express regret, and her son argues the question of apology does not arise because the current regime has legalised its own killings.
Bangladesh government (BNP)
Many in Bangladesh see Hasina dodging questions of apology and regret over the killing of students and protesters in July-August 2024 as a sore point.
India's role in hosting Hasina
Hasina and the Awami League
Hasina's side notes she is being treated like a Head of State with full services and security; India's Ministry of External Affairs says it was not involved in the press interaction.
Bangladesh government (BNP)
BNP leaders and Dhaka believe India is pro-Awami League and that permitting the event shows it cannot accept the new political realities, damaging the bilateral relationship.
Key facts
- Former role
- Prime Minister of Bangladesh
- Fled Bangladesh
- August 5, 2024, amid protests
- Current location
- Undisclosed location in India
- Media interaction
- Virtual, August 6, about 23 minutes, with questions
- GDP growth
- Fell to 2.2% from 6.8%
- Legal status
- Sentenced to death over killing of protesters; faces corruption cases
- Planned return
- December, citing the 1971 liberation war's victory month
- Son in call
- Sajeeb Wazed Joy, former adviser in her government, lives in the US
Quotes
Sajeeb Wazed Joy
Son of Sheikh Hasina, former advisor to her government, residing in the United States
“"Look, this question of regret and apologies has been raised, but you see the Yunus regime and the BNP regime has continued… They have legalised killings — the killings of police officers, the killings of civilians, the killings of Awami League members…"”
indianexpress.com
“"Whatever fate awaits me, I will return to my people. I cannot stay away while my beloved countrymen are suffering."”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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