Sheikh Hasina Demands Reinstatement of Awami League Amid Legal Threats

The 78-year-old leader, who fled Dhaka two years ago following a massive student-led uprising, delivered an audio message from behind a blank screen during a media event hosted by the Foreign Correspondents' Club of South Asia. While she did not appear on camera, her defiance remained clear. She dismissed the 2025 war-crimes conviction—which sentenced her to death for an alleged crackdown on protesters—as a politically motivated fabrication. Hasina asserted that the protests which ended her two-decade tenure were a coordinated campaign of violence rather than a grassroots movement.

Her public remarks drew immediate condemnation from the government of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. Bangladesh’s foreign ministry labeled the event an "affront to sovereignty" and warned local media that broadcasting her statements violates a 2024 court order. While Dhaka has formally requested her extradition from India, New Delhi maintains that the legal process is still under examination. Meanwhile, Hasina used the platform to criticize the current administration, claiming the national economy has cratered since her departure, with joblessness rising and growth stalling. As she reaffirmed her intent to surrender to authorities, protesters in Dhaka responded to the broadcast by burning her effigy, highlighting the deep political polarization that continues to define the nation.