Sheikh Hasina poised for first public speech since exile, scheduled in New Delhi

Exactly two years after a deadly clash of protesters and government supporters forced her out of office, former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina is set to deliver a virtual speech at the South Asia Foreign Correspondents’ Club in New Delhi on Aug. 5. The appearance will be her first public engagement since she crossed into India, where she has so far issued written statements. Bangladesh has kept the extradition question alive with New Delhi, while the Indian government insists she cannot carry out political work from its soil.

Hasina recently announced plans to return to Bangladesh before the year ends, a statement that could reshape the strained relationship between the two neighbours. The upcoming address comes amid ongoing diplomatic friction over her alleged anti-government comments and the broader fallout from the protests that caused hundreds of deaths.