Hasina likely to make first public appearance in Delhi Aug 5

Sheikh Hasina is set to break nearly two years of public silence in India with her first public appearance since her ouster, India Today reports.

The ousted prime minister will address a virtual programme hosted by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia (FCC South Asia) in New Delhi on Aug 5, the Indian news outlet said.

She is expected to discuss her political roadmap and proposed return to Bangladesh. The event will run from 6pm to 7:30pm at Sir Mark Tully Auditorium on Mathura Road, with the session also streamed live on the club's social media platforms.

The programme falls on the second anniversary of the collapse of Hasina's 15-year rule.

On Aug 5, 2024, student protests over Bangladesh's quota system escalated into a nationwide movement that ultimately forced her from office.

Hasina fled to India after protesters stormed and vandalised government buildings in Dhaka, bringing her long tenure to an abrupt end.

She has largely remained out of the public eye since arriving in India, avoiding public events and formal media engagements.

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) sentenced her to death in absentia in November 2025 for crimes against humanity over her government's violent suppression of the 2024 protests.

Despite the verdict, Hasina has said she plans to return voluntarily to Bangladesh around December, surrender before the courts and seek to revive the Awami League, while dismissing the tribunal's ruling as politically motivated.

Dhaka has warned that she would be arrested immediately upon entering Bangladesh and face execution under Bangladeshi law, while the government has continued to demand her extradition from India.

Several prominent Bangladeshi political figures, diplomats and public personalities are listed among the participants in the programme, including Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, former education minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel and Bangladesh Human Rights Watch General Secretary Mohammed Ali Siddiqui.

Former cricketer and MP Shakib Al Hasan, ex-diplomat Aminul Hoque, analyst Abu Obaidha Arin and Bangladesh Human Rights Watch USA director Shah Md Bakhtiar are also expected to join.

The event will be chaired by FCC South Asia President Dr Waiel Awwad. �"bdnews24