Former Bangladesh premier to break her two-year silence on August 5

Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is preparing to address the public for the first time since losing power in 2024. She will speak virtually at an event hosted by the Foreign Correspondents' Club of South Asia in New Delhi on August 5, 2026. This gathering will take place from 6 PM to 7:30 PM at the Sir Mark Tully Auditorium on Mathura Road. During this highly anticipated Sheikh Hasina public appearance, she plans to discuss her political roadmap and a potential return to her home country.

This upcoming interaction coincides exactly with the second anniversary of her government collapsing. Student-led protests against a quota system forced her out of office on August 5, 2024, bringing a sudden end to her 15-year rule. Following the storming of official buildings in Dhaka, she left for India. Geopolitically, her extended stay in India has remained a sensitive diplomatic issue, as the neighboring nation transitions under a completely new administration. Since taking refuge in India, she has avoided media interactions entirely. Live streams of this crucial discussion will be available on the club's social platforms.

Key Figures Joining Hasina Online

Dr. Waiel Awwad, president of FCC South Asia and the International Association of Press Clubs, will chair the programme. Several prominent figures will join Hasina during the broadcast. Her son and former ICT adviser, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, is on the guest list. Other participants include former education minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel and Mahammad Ali Siddique of Bangladesh Human Rights Watch. Former cricketer Shakib Al Hasan, security analyst Aminul Hoque Polash, political expert Abu Obaidha Arin, and Shah Md Bakhtiar are also scheduled to appear.

Changed Political Realities

Political realities in Dhaka look very different today. Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus led an interim government until the February 2026 general election. Now, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman leads a Bangladesh Nationalist Party government. This new leadership continues to pursue legal action against former Awami League officials. Meanwhile, Hasina's party remains banned from political activity under current anti-terrorism laws pending further court proceedings.