Bangladesh’s foreign ministry condemned India for allowing exiled former prime minister Sheikh Hasina to deliver her first public address since fleeing to India in 2024. Hasina, who was sentenced to death in absentia over her role in the 2024 crackdown that left more than 1,400 dead, accused the interim leader of being a "murderous fascist" in an audio speech broadcast from New Delhi. The ministry said the remarks—viewed by over 100,000 online—amounted to calls to remove the interim government and warned the speech could damage Bangladesh‑India relations ahead of the February 12 election.
Bangladesh Condemns India For Hosting Exiled Ex‑PM Hasina’s First Public Address
Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina delivers a speech virtually in New Delhi on January 23, 2026 [AFP]
Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was "surprised and shocked" that fugitive former prime minister Sheikh Hasina was permitted to deliver a public address in neighbouring India, where she has lived in exile since August 2024.
“Allowing the event to take place in the Indian capital and letting mass murderer Hasina openly deliver her hate speech … constitute a clear affront to the people and the Government of Bangladesh,” the ministry said in its Sunday statement.
Hasina, 78, left Bangladesh after a student‑led uprising ended her 15‑year rule amid allegations of widespread rights abuses, including attacks, imprisonment and targeted killings of opposition figures and critics. In November, a Dhaka court sentenced her to death in absentia, finding her guilty of incitement, issuing orders to kill and failing to prevent atrocities during the crackdown on the 2024 unrest in which more than 1,400 people were killed.
Speech In New Delhi
On Friday an audio address by Hasina was played to a packed Foreign Correspondents’ Club event in New Delhi and streamed online. In the address she attacked Muhammad Yunus, head of Bangladesh’s interim government, labelling him "murderous fascist," and warned that Bangladesh would never see free and fair elections under his leadership. More than 100,000 viewers watched the broadcast online.
Government Response And Diplomatic Fallout
The Foreign Ministry accused Hasina of openly calling for the removal of the interim government and of issuing blatant incitements to supporters and the public to carry out acts of terror to derail the upcoming election. The statement warned that India’s decision to allow the address set a dangerous precedent that could seriously impair bilateral relations, and said Dhaka’s request to extradite Hasina has so far been ignored.
Bangladesh — home to about 170 million people — is preparing for a general election scheduled for February 12. Hasina’s Awami League has been barred from participating after the Election Commission suspended its registration in May. The likely contenders now include the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and a coalition led by Jamaat‑e‑Islami.
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