Living in India since August 2024, former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has publicly thanked the Indian populace for providing her refuge. She has also sharply criticized the current interim government in Bangladesh, headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, accusing it of pursuing “violent and extremist” agendas that are straining bilateral ties with India. Hasina emphasized that the alleged “sponsorship of extremists” by Yunus’s administration presents a serious risk to the robust friendship between Dhaka and New Delhi.
In a recent written interview, Hasina conveyed her “deep gratitude to the Indian people for providing me with a safe haven” after her government was ousted last year. Her government’s downfall in August 2024 followed weeks of intense and often violent public protests against alleged corruption and authoritarian practices. Student groups and civil society played a prominent role in demanding her resignation and the establishment of a neutral interim authority.
Following the collapse of her government, Hasina relocated to India, citing concerns for her personal safety amid reports of her home being surrounded and a lack of security. India’s decision to grant her temporary asylum signaled a significant development in her political journey. Hasina also condemned the interim government’s move to prohibit the Awami League from contesting the upcoming elections, asserting it as a violation of constitutional rights for her party’s supporters. She cautioned that Yunus’s leadership could destabilize the nation and negatively impact its foreign relations, particularly noting how the “sponsorship of extremists in his government threatens to undermine the fundamental relationship between Bangladesh and India.”