Sheikh Hasina Speaks Out: How She Escaped Danger and Left Bangladesh
Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has shared a heartfelt audio message, reflecting on how she narrowly avoided death when she fled her country last August. The 77-year-old leader, speaking in a trembling voice, thanked Allah for her survival and accused her political rivals of plotting to kill her.
In the audio clip shared by her Awami League party, Ms. Hasina recounts the dramatic events of August 5, 2024. That day, she and her sister, Rehana, fled Dhaka just minutes before an angry mob stormed her home. “We escaped death by just 20-25 minutes,” she said, her voice breaking with emotion. “Surviving the attacks on August 21, surviving the bomb plot in Kotalipara, and surviving August 5—all of this must be the will of Allah. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be alive today.”
Her reference to past attacks highlights the dangers she has faced throughout her career. In the 2004 grenade attack, she was injured, but 24 others lost their lives. In another close call in 2000, bombs were discovered at a college where she was scheduled to visit.
Ms. Hasina, now living in India with her sister, described her current situation as painful. “I am suffering. I am without my country, my home. Everything has been burned,” she said tearfully. Despite the hardship, she expressed her belief that Allah has a greater purpose for her.
The former prime minister, who has faced corruption allegations in Bangladesh, claimed the world has seen how her enemies conspired against her. She said she remains resilient despite the challenges.
Sheikh Hasina fled to India—a country with longstanding ties to her family—after stepping down from power amid escalating unrest. On the same day she left, protestors stormed her home, looting and destroying the property. The upheaval followed a violent student movement that forced her resignation.
Since her departure, Bangladesh has seen significant changes. Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, backed by the country’s military, now leads an interim government. Relations between India and Bangladesh have also been strained, partly due to attacks on Hindu minorities during the political turmoil.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh has formally requested Ms. Hasina’s extradition, though India’s foreign ministry has so far declined to comment on the matter.
Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of Bangladesh’s founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, remains a polarizing figure. While her critics accuse her of corruption and mismanagement, her supporters see her as a symbol of resilience and leadership in the face of adversity.
