'We escaped death by minutes during 2024 protests' says former PM Sheikh Hasina

Bangladesh: Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has claimed there was a conspiracy to kill her and her sister, Sheikh Rehana, in the student-led protests that made her quit on August 5 last year. In an emotional audio message shared on her Facebook page by the Bangladesh Awami League, Hasina said, "Rehana and I survived—just 20-25 minutes apart, we escaped death." She further said this was not the first attempt to kill her, citing several conspiracies over the years.

Reflecting on her survival, Hasina says, "Surviving the killings on August 21, the huge bomb in Kotalipara, and the events of August 5, 2024, must be by Allah's will. Otherwise, I wouldn't have made it. It seems Allah wants me to fulfill a purpose."

Exile and allegations

After the violent protests in Dhaka, which killed more than 600 people and injured hundreds, Hasina was forced to flee Bangladesh and seek asylum in India. She described her exile as follows: "Although I am suffering, I am without my country, without my home, everything has been burned.

The protests, allegedly supported by the opposition, demanded her resignation amidst widespread unrest. The situation culminated in her departure as demonstrators refused to relent.

Legal challenges mount

The former prime minister is now facing severe legal troubles. The Bangladeshi court issued a second warrant of arrest on January 6 against Hasina, alleging the involvement in enforced disappearance. Chief prosecutor Tajul Islam of the International Crimes Tribunal said that during her term more than 500 people were kidnapped, and many were sent to unknown secret cells for years without any imprisonment sentences.

Hasina is already wanted for alleged "crimes against humanity" during her 15-year rule. Bangladesh also wanted her extradition from India. An official diplomatic request was issued in December 2024, but Delhi did not respond to the demand.

India's stand on extradition

In December, the interim government of Bangladesh sent a note verbale—a diplomatic communication—requesting Hasina's return to face trial. This silence from India reflects the intricacies of the diplomatic relationship between the two countries.