 "'We escaped death, 20-25 minutes apart': Sheikh Hasina reveals assassination plot in Bangladesh")
Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina recalled details of his final moments in her own country before she fled Dhaka. In an audio message shared on Bangladesh Awami League’s Facebook page, Hasina revealed that she and her sister Sheikh Rehana survived an assassination plot after she was ousted.
“Rehana and I survived—just 20-25 minutes apart, we escaped death,” the Bangladeshi premier averred. The 76-year-old leader fled to India after a violent student revolution toppled her government and claimed the lives of 600 people. Recalling the events that played out last year, Hasina alleged that there was a coordinated conspiracy to eliminate her.
Hasina insisted that she survived multiple assassination attempts and called it a “divine intervention”. “I feel it is the will of Allah that I have survived—the August 21 grenade attack, the Kotalipara bomb plot, and now this recent threat,” she said emotionally. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t be alive today.”
Not the first time
It is pertinent to note that this is not the first time there has been an assassination plot against Hasina. On August 21, 2004, a grenade attack was targeted at Hasina during an anti-terrorism rally in Dhaka. The incident killed 24 people and injured 500 others. The former Bangladeshi premier narrowly escaped the explosion and suffered only minor injuries.
Similarly in 2000, a 76kg bomb was discovered in Kotalipara, where she was scheduled to address a rally. The remarks from the Awami league supremo came days after Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal issued arrest warrants against her for alleged enforced disappearances during her 15-year rule.
The prosecutors accused the Hasina administration of abducting 500 individuals. “She must face justice for crimes against humanity,” said Shafiqul Alam, press secretary to Bangladesh’s interim government.
Bangladesh waits for Hasina.
As the chaos simmers down in Bangladesh, Dhaka has formally requested Hasina’s extradition from India. However, the problem lies in the fact that the extradition treaty between the two countries lacks a clear timeline, leaving her fate uncertain. In light of this, the current Bangladeshi government under interim advisor Muhammad Yunus has hinted at putting international pressure on India, to get Hasina back to Bangladesh.
In the audio message, Hasina continued to maintain her defiance over the matter. “Although I am without my country and my home, I believe Allah’s mercy has kept me alive for a reason,” she said tearfully, reaffirming her resilience amidst growing challenges. While responding to reports that India is planning to extend Hasina’s visa, the Bangladeshi government has clarified that all visa matters are irrelevant once a passport is cancelled. Last year, Dhaka revoked the passports of 97 individuals, including Hasina, for alleged involvement in protests-related crimes.
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