‘Want to go back to Bangladesh in December’ | Hasina breaks down during first presser after ouster

Speaking at her first press conference directed at audiences in Delhi since being ousted from power in August 2024, former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina became emotional while recalling her father, family members and millions of Bangladeshis who lost their lives during the 1971 Liberation War and in the years that followed. Addressing an event hosted by the Foreign Correspondents Club of South Asia via video link, she said, "For the last two years, I watched my beloved Bangladesh suffer. This is not the Bangladesh we built; this is not the Bangladesh for which 3 million people sacrificed their lives in 1971."

Hasina also defended her government's handling of the July-August 2024 unrest, rejecting claims that it was a peaceful student movement. She alleged that organised groups hijacked legitimate student demands and transformed them into a violent political campaign with the sole objective of forcing her resignation. "From the beginning, my government tried to resolve the issue peacefully through dialogue, legal process and patience," she said. Asked when she planned to return to Bangladesh, Hasina declined to give a date, saying she would reveal the details "when the time comes."

Former Bangladesh cricketer, AL leader Shakib Al Hasan joins Hasina's event

Hasan served as a Member of Parliament for the Awami League representing the Magura-1 constituency. His political career faced immediate upheaval following the ouster of Hasina's government in August 2024. Later, he faced criticism, legal challenges, and had to relocate abroad.