Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has claimed that there were attempts to assassinate her and her sister, Sheikh Rehana, following her removal from power by a student-led protest movement in August last year. Speaking through an audio message shared on the Awami League’s official Facebook page, Hasina recounted the harrowing events that led her to flee the country and seek refuge in India.
“Rehana and I managed to survive. We barely escaped the clutches of death within a span of 20-25 minutes,” Hasina said, adding that her residence was ransacked by an enraged mob shortly after her resignation as Prime Minister.
Reflecting on her survival, she said, “It is the will of Allah that I survived the killings on August 21, the bombing in Kotalipara, and on August 5. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have made it.” She referred to the 2004 Dhaka grenade attack, which left 24 dead and many injured, as well as the 2000 Kotalipara bomb conspiracy, when explosives were discovered at a venue she was scheduled to visit.
Hasina expressed deep anguish over her current predicament, saying, “I am suffering, I am without my country, without my home, everything has been burned.”
The interim government in Bangladesh has requested India to extradite Hasina and has sent a diplomatic note to the Ministry of External Affairs. However, the Indian government has not yet responded. Meanwhile, the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) for Bangladesh has issued two arrest warrants against her, citing alleged enforced disappearances during her 15-year rule.
Earlier this month, Bangladesh revoked Hasina’s passport, along with those of 96 others, accusing her of involvement in killings and disappearances linked to last year’s student protests. The ICT has set a February 12 deadline for the apprehension of Hasina and other accused parties.
During her tenure, Hasina faced widespread allegations of human rights abuses, including mass detentions, extrajudicial killings of political opponents, and enforced disappearances. A commission established by the interim government reported 1,676 complaints of enforced disappearances during her rule, with 27% of victims still unaccounted for.
The ICT has filed multiple cases against the former Prime Minister, accusing her of genocide and crimes against humanity. Despite the allegations, Hasina maintains that her survival and continued presence are acts of divine intervention.
