Sheikh Hasina, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, recently shared a story of an assassination attempt that was narrowly thwarted. In an audio clip posted on the Facebook page of the Bangladesh Awami League, Hasina revealed that both she and her sister, Sheikh Rehana, were targeted for death after she was ousted from office in August 2024. The assassination plot was set to occur just minutes after they fled Dhaka, escaping with their lives by a mere 20-25 minutes.
Sheikh Hasina, who has been residing in New Delhi with her sister since her resignation, has endured multiple threats throughout her career. She recounted previous assassination attempts, including the 2004 grenade attack on her, which killed 24 people and injured her, as well as the 2000 Kotalipara bombing attempt, which involved explosives at a college she was scheduled to visit. Reflecting on these near-death experiences, she expressed her belief that her survival is a result of divine intervention, stating, “It is the will of Allah that I have survived.”
Last year in August, a student-led movement resulted in the removal of Bangladesh’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, from office after weeks of protests and violent confrontations that resulted in the death of over 600 individuals. Subsequently, the 76-year-old leader sought refuge in India, leading to the establishment of an interim government helmed by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus.
The interim government of Bangladesh has formally requested India to extradite Sheikh Hasina, sending a diplomatic note to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. While India has acknowledged the request, it has refrained from making further comments on the matter.