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.

Aug 5, 2026 07:10 PM

• Sheikh Hasina alleged that Awami League leaders, workers, and supporters have faced political persecution since her removal from power.
• She claimed that thousands of party members, along with police personnel, journalists, lawyers, judges and members of minority communities had been subjected to arrests, violence and torture.
• Hasina alleged that the 2024 movement later turned into what she described as "a coordinated assault on the Constitution."
• She accused the current administration of suppressing dissent and targeting people associated with Bangladesh's Liberation War legacy.
• According to Hasina, those linked to the Awami League and the country's independence movement have been unfairly targeted since the change in government.

Aug 5, 2026 07:09 PM

• Sheikh Hasina accused Muhammad Yunus's interim government of granting indemnity to those responsible for killing police personnel.
• She claimed this decision revealed the government's "true motive."
• Hasina said her administration had initiated an investigation into the violence before she was removed from power.
• She alleged that the probe was halted by what she described as the "illegal interim government" led by Muhammad Yunus.
• Questioning the interim administration, Hasina asked, "If they weren't afraid, why did they not allow the truth to come out?"

Aug 5, 2026 07:08 PM

• Sheikh Hasina claimed that more than 450 police stations were set on fire during the unrest.
• She alleged that government buildings were attacked and several police officers were killed.
• Hasina further claimed that some people inside the police stations were burnt alive.
• Questioning the criticism of her government's response, she asked whether it was the responsibility of law enforcement agencies to maintain law and order.
• She argued that the security forces were carrying out their duty to restore order during the violence.

Aug 5, 2026 07:08 PM

• Sheikh Hasina claimed the July–August 2024 unrest was "not a peaceful student movement" from the outset.
• She said her government attempted dialogue with the protesters and appealed the High Court's quota verdict.
• According to Hasina, her administration also invited student leaders for talks to resolve the crisis.
• She alleged that the quota protest was later transformed into a "one-point movement" demanding her removal from power.
• Hasina claimed that organised groups exploited the protests as a cover for violence and sought to seize power outside the democratic electoral process.

Aug 5, 2026 07:07 PM

Meticulously designed conspiracy against me, alleges Hasina

• Sheikh Hasina alleged that the movement leading to her ouster was part of a "meticulously designed" conspiracy.
• She claimed that Muhammad Yunus had himself revealed the truth behind the alleged plan.
• According to Hasina, the student quota protest was transformed into a single-point movement aimed at changing the government.
• She alleged that the agitation was used as a vehicle for regime change, rather than remaining focused on its original demands.
• Yunus assumed leadership of Bangladesh's interim administration after Hasina was removed from power.

Aug 5, 2026 06:56 PM

• Sheikh Hasina began her first public address since being ousted from power with an emotional tribute.
• She became visibly emotional and her voice choked while recalling the August 1975 massacre in which several members of her family were killed.
• Hasina paid tribute to her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, at the start of her speech.
• She also honoured the millions of martyrs of Bangladesh's 1971 Liberation War.
• Remembering her family members, Hasina said she was speaking with "love for Bangladesh" at the heart of her message.
• The address marked her first public speech since she was removed from office.

Aug 5, 2026 06:53 PM

WATCH THE ADDRESS

Aug 5, 2026 06:44 PM

Key observations

• After living at an undisclosed location in India for nearly two years, Sheikh Hasina has become politically active again over the past two months.
• She has repeatedly expressed her intention to return to Bangladesh later this year.
• In an email interview on June 29, 2026, Hasina said she does not fear death and remains committed to serving the people of Bangladesh.
• She recalled losing her entire family in 1975 and said she had overcome every conspiracy to be elected Prime Minister five times.
• Hasina asserted that her life has always been dedicated to Bangladesh, the Awami League, and the country's interests, adding that she would overcome all obstacles and return home this year.
• In the interview, she accused the government led by Tarique Rahman of failing to control corruption and inflation, claiming the administration had been ineffective.
• In a telephone interview with Reuters on July 10, Hasina said she planned to return to Bangladesh by December 2026 and surrender along with other exiled Awami League leaders, even if it meant risking her life.

Aug 5, 2026 06:42 PM

India says Sheikh Hasina's press briefing is a private event

1. India's Ministry of External Affairs has clarified that Sheikh Hasina's press conference is a private event and not organised by the Indian government.
2. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the event is being organised by a private media body and that the Government of India has no role in it.
3. He added that the Indian government does not endorse or take responsibility for any views expressed during the event.
4. The Foreign Correspondents' Club (FCC) is a non-profit press club run by local and international journalists, diplomats, and other members, with no direct government control.

Aug 5, 2026 06:41 PM

Sheikh Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and cricketer and Awami League leader Shakib Al Hasan also in attendance

Aug 5, 2026 06:40 PM

Current mood in Bangladesh

1. The Bangladesh government has imposed a ban on the broadcast or publication of Sheikh Hasina's speech.
2. Print media, television channels and social media platforms have been warned not to air or publish her address from India.
3. The biggest question dominating discussions is whether Hasina can or will return to Bangladesh.
4. Bangladeshi media is also debating how her potential return could affect India-Bangladesh relations.
5. Leading daily Prothom Alo argues that India should handle its bilateral ties with Bangladesh carefully, warning that political activities of this nature could strain relations.

Aug 5, 2026 06:39 PM

Sheikh Hasina is set to address a press conference shortly

• According to the organisers, she may discuss her plans to return to Bangladesh.
• She is currently facing multiple legal cases in Dhaka.
• Despite the cases, her strategy for returning to the country is expected to be closely watched.
• Hasina is also likely to share her views on the future of the Awami League.
• She may comment on the current political situation in Bangladesh.
• She is expected to outline her party's future strategy and political roadmap.
• The press conference comes as Bangladesh marks the second anniversary of the July 2024 mass uprising, amid heightened political tensions in the country.

Aug 5, 2026 06:38 PM

Why did Sheikh Hasina choose August 5?

Sheikh Hasina chose August 5 because it marks the anniversary of the day she was forced to leave Bangladesh following the student-led movement on August 5, 2024. Protesters had reached her official residence, prompting her to resign and fly to India aboard a military aircraft.

Exactly two years later, she is making her first public appearance on the same date. The timing is widely seen as symbolic, with observers suggesting that Hasina wants to send a message of political resilience and signal the beginning of a possible political comeback.