Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is set to make her first major public appearance in India since she fled Bangladesh in August 2024, following a massive student‑led uprising that ended her nearly 16‑year rule. The event, hosted by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia (FCC South Asia), will take place on 5 August at 6 pm at the Sir Mark Tully Auditorium in New Delhi and will be streamed live on the club’s social media platforms.
Hasina has remained in India for the past two years, issuing statements, giving interviews, and joining virtual discussions, but this programme marks her most prominent engagement since her ouster. She is expected to speak about her political future, her plans to return to Bangladesh, and her perspective on the events that led to her departure — including the protests over the controversial government jobs quota system, which escalated into nationwide unrest and the vandalisation of government buildings in Dhaka.
The event will feature a notable lineup of Bangladeshi political figures, former officials, diplomats, and public personalities. Attendees include her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, former adviser on ICT; former education minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel; Bangladesh Human Rights Watch general secretary Mahammad Ali Siddique; and former cricketer‑turned‑MP Shakib Al Hasan. Several former diplomats and security experts are also expected.
Hasina’s appearance is being closely watched across South Asia, as it may signal her intentions regarding future political involvement and her stance on Bangladesh’s current transitional landscape.