Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina (Photo: HT)
In a startling revelation, former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina recalled a plot to assassinate her and her sister, Sheikh Rehana, in the immediate aftermath of her forced resignation on August 5, 2024. Her claims were made public through an audio message posted late Friday, January 17, on the official Facebook page of the Bangladesh Awami League, the political party she has long led.
“Rehana and I survived – just 20-25 minutes apart, we escaped death,” Hasina said in the recording, describing the incident as one of several attempts on her life over the years. She recounted surviving the August 21 grenade attack in 2004, a massive bomb plot in Kotalipara, and the alleged assassination plan in 2024.
“There must be a will of Allah, a hand of Allah,” she added. “Otherwise, I’m not going to survive this time. You later saw how they planned to kill me. However, it seems to be a mercy of Allah that I am still alive because Allah wants me to do something more.”
Hasina’s resignation followed a massive, student-led protest that engulfed the capital city of Dhaka. The demonstrations, suspected to have been fueled by opposition forces, demanded her immediate resignation and triggered violent clashes that left over 600 people dead and hundreds more injured.
Fearing for her safety, Hasina sought refuge in India, marking the beginning of her exile. Reflecting on her situation, she said emotionally, “Although I am suffering, I am without my country, without my home, everything has been burned.”
Amid her exile, Hasina faces mounting legal troubles in her home country. On January 6, 2025, a Bangladeshi court issued a second arrest warrant against the 77-year-old former leader. Chief prosecutor Tajul Islam announced that Hasina was being investigated for her alleged involvement in enforced disappearances during her tenure.
According to the chief prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), over 500 individuals were abducted by Bangladeshi security personnel, many of whom were reportedly detained in secret facilities for years. These allegations have further fueled political and public discourse in Bangladesh.
In December 2024, the interim government of Bangladesh formally requested India to extradite Hasina for trial. A diplomatic note, referred to as a note verbale, was sent to India’s Ministry of External Affairs on December 23. However, New Delhi has so far refrained from responding to the request.
The revelations by Sheikh Hasina highlight the volatile political landscape in Bangladesh, where leaders often face intense scrutiny, protests, and allegations of human rights abuses.
As Hasina remains in exile, her claims of assassination plots and the continued legal proceedings against her will likely fuel further controversy in the months to come, keeping Bangladesh’s political future uncertain.
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