Following a dramatic helicopter escape from her Dhaka residence amidst widespread student-led protests last year, former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been living a discreet life in Delhi since August 2024. The country is currently being governed by an interim administration headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, with national elections slated for February 2027. Hasina, meanwhile, maintains a low-profile existence in India’s capital.
The events leading to her departure, including the protest and the subsequent occupation of her Dhaka palace, serve as a stark reminder of the 1975 military coup that claimed the lives of her father and three brothers while she was abroad.
Hasina’s Life in Delhi
While her life in exile in Delhi is peaceful, Hasina expresses a desire to return home. She stated in an interview, “I would of course love to go home, so long as the government there was legitimate, the constitution was being upheld, and law and order genuinely prevailed.”
Recently, a Reuters reporter observed Hasina taking a quiet walk in Delhi’s historic Lodhi Garden, accompanied by her security detail. She offered nods to passersby who recognized her.
Reports indicate that Hasina has been residing in a government-arranged safe house in New Delhi’s Lutyens Bungalow Zone, a secure area occupied by prominent political and government figures. Previously, it was reported that she frequented Lodhi Garden for walks, always accompanied by plain-clothed security personnel.
Hasina reportedly entered India on August 5, 2024, landing at the Hindon airbase via a Bangladesh Air Force aircraft with a few close associates. She spent two days at the base, meeting with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and senior military officials, before being relocated to a more secure location.
Election Boycott and Political Stance
A significant number of supporters of Bangladesh’s Awami League party plan to boycott the upcoming national elections as a protest against Hasina’s disqualification from participating. Despite her absence from the country and facing trial in absentia, Hasina remains committed to what she terms “restoring democracy” in Bangladesh.
She emphasized the importance of free, fair, and inclusive elections for the nation’s healing and stated that any future government must possess electoral legitimacy. Hasina asserted that millions of Awami League supporters would not vote under the current circumstances, as disenfranchising such a large segment of the population would undermine a functional political system.
Meanwhile, interim government chief Muhammad Yunus has expressed concerns about both domestic and international forces attempting to disrupt the planned general elections, particularly by barring the Awami League from contesting. His press secretary quoted Yunus as stating that powerful entities would work to thwart the election, potentially through sudden attacks. Yunus also acknowledged that the election would be challenging due to anticipated organized propaganda campaigns.