Sheikh Hasina virtual address Highlights: Former Bangladesh PM says she plans to return to Bangladesh in December, will reveal date later

Aug 5, 2026 07:19 PM

• Sheikh Hasina said attempts were made to stop her from returning to Bangladesh in 1981 under then-President Ziaur Rahman, but those efforts failed.
• She recalled that she returned to Bangladesh despite the obstacles at the time.
• Reaffirming her determination, Hasina said she is committed to returning to Bangladesh once again.
• She declared that even the possibility of imprisonment or death would not stop her from going back.
• "They may jail me, they may kill me... anything may happen, but I still have to return," Hasina said during her address.

Aug 5, 2026 07:12 PM

• Sheikh Hasina alleged that Bangladesh's economy has declined significantly since her removal from power.
• She claimed that GDP growth has slowed under the current BNP-led administration.
• Hasina alleged that industrial production has contracted for the first time in decades.
• She also claimed that bank loan defaults have increased sharply, putting additional pressure on the financial sector.
• According to Hasina, poverty has risen while investment has weakened, reflecting what she described as the country's deteriorating economic conditions.

Aug 5, 2026 07:11 PM

Big allegation

• Sheikh Hasina accused the BNP-led government under Tarique Rahman of relying heavily on borrowing to run the country.
• She alleged that the government was borrowing 700–900 crore taka every month from the Bangladesh Bank to meet its expenses.
• Hasina claimed that many factories have shut down since the change in government.
• She also alleged that several industrialists and business owners have either fled the country or gone into hiding.
• According to Hasina, these developments reflect the country's deteriorating economic situation under the current administration.

Aug 5, 2026 07:10 PM

• Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh has been going through a period of suffering for the past two years.
• She claimed that fear has spread across homes and workplaces since her removal from power.
• Hasina said this is not the Bangladesh she helped build during her years in office.
• She added that this is also not the Bangladesh for which millions sacrificed their lives during the 1971 Liberation War.
• Hasina expressed hope that the country would return to the ideals of its founding and democratic values.