‘Hasina determined to return irrespective of repercussions’: Analyst Rami Desai | Exclusive

New Delhi: Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina delivered a powerful virtual address from New Delhi, two years after her governments collapse in August 2024 following a student-led uprisin. In her speech, Hasina emphatically declared her ouster a “coup,” not an uprising, signalling her firm intention to return to Bangladesh and challenging the established narrative.

Speaking from India, where she has been since her departure, Hasina articulated a vision for her return, expressing a profound sense of having been wronged. She highlighted what she perceives as a “strategic mastermind” behind the protests and suggested an “underlying agenda of wanting to reset Bangladeshs history.”

This public statement, according to analyst Rami Niranjan Desai, is a “power move” with significant implications for Bangladeshs future and regional stability. Desai observed that Hasina appears determined to return “irrespective of the repercussions,” having likely calculated the potential challenges.

‘Ostrich behaviour’

The virtual address, which garnered massive public interest with hundreds of thousands reportedly watching, featured prominent figures such as her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and former cricketer Shakib Al Hasan. Meanwhile, the Bangladeshi government has reportedly issued directives warning local media against covering Hasinas speech, a move Salahuddin Shoaib Choudhury, editor of Blitz Bangladesh, criticised as an “ostrich” behaviour that inadvertently amplified her message. Choudhury also alleged that the plotters of the “2024 coup,” including Yunus, aimed to transform Bangladesh into a “terrorist nation like Pakistan,” asserting that such actions warrant a death penalty under the Bangladeshi constitution.

He also highlighted the inherent nature of Bangladeshi politics, where the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Awami League consistently try to impede each other, making governance difficult and fostering instability. Chakma deemed the banning of the Awami League “absolutely illegal,” advocating that Hasina herself is the best person to challenge such a move. He concluded that Bangladesh is not Pakistan, suggesting that the ruling BNP government may lack the audacity to execute a figure like Sheikh Hasina. However, he warned that the country faces “very interesting times” and potential instability for investors in the coming years.

Karthikeyan emphasised that while a truth and reconciliation process is needed, completely shutting the Awami League out of national politics would not foster peace. He also suggested that Hasinas comments about Bangladesh becoming like Pakistan might be “playing to Indian fears” to garner support, though he doubted the extent of foreign intelligence agency involvement making Bangladesh a “safe haven.” Ultimately, he stressed that better relations with India are in Bangladesh’s interest, a path that requires reconciliation between the BNP and the Awami League.