July 2024 was not a peaceful student movement: Former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina

Former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina broke her silence on her 2024 exit, alleging student protests were hijacked for regime change. While New Delhi distanced itself from her virtual address, India confirmed inviting Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman to the upcoming BRICS summit in his BIMSTEC capacity.

Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday broke her silence on her 2024 deposition, alleging that the July-August unrest "was not a peaceful student movement", but an organised campaign that weaponised quota reform protests into a "violent political instrument" aimed at regime change. Addressing a virtual media interaction organised by the Foreign Correspondents' Club of South Asia in New Delhi, the former Prime Minister reflected on the turmoil in Bangladesh, expressing anguish over the country's trajectory.

"For the last two years, I watched my beloved Bangladesh suffer...This is not the Bangladesh we built, this is not the Bangladesh for which 3 million people sacrificed their lives in 1971," Hasina said. Directly addressing the mid-2024 protests, Hasina stated that her administration had sought to resolve the quota reform agitation through dialogue, legal measures, and negotiations, but "organised groups" exploited the movement to pursue political objectives.

"Let me begin with the truth about July and August 2024. It was not a peaceful student movement. From the beginning, my government tried to resolve the issue peacefully through dialogue, legal process, and patience. But behind the language of reform, organised groups were working to turn students demand into violent political instrument," she added. "The quota reform movement was turned into a one-point demand for my resignation. False propaganda was spread in a planned way. Genuine students were emotionally manipulated, while organised groups used their movement as cover for violence and regime change," Hasina said.

The former prime minister alleged that the demonstrations escalated from July 15, 2024, into widespread killings, arson, attacks on public infrastructure, and violence against law enforcement personnel. She further claimed that following her removal, Awami League leaders and workers faced systematic political persecution, alleging that thousands had been killed, disappeared, or arrested, with hundreds of thousands named in criminal cases. She also accused the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus of halting a judicial inquiry established by her government to investigate the violence.

Detailing the destruction, Hasina alleged that symbols associated with Bangladesh's 1971 Liberation War were vandalised, while members of minority communities and journalists were targeted. She added that the historic Dhanmondi 32 residence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was demolished in what she described as an effort to erase the legacy of the Liberation War. Hasina, who announced her intention to return to Bangladesh in December despite being awarded a death sentence, was making her first media address since fleeing to India on August 5, 2024. Her departure concluded a 15-year tenure in power following the nationwide anti-government movement that commenced in June 2024.

Ahead of the address, the Indian government sought to distance itself from the press event, clarifying that New Delhi does not endorse any statements made during the session. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, "The government has no involvement whatsoever in it. Neither does it endorse any views that may be expressed at the forum."

The ministry recently informed a Parliamentary committee that while granting asylum to Hasina, India has strictly maintained its policy ensuring no political activity targeting another sovereign nation is conducted from Indian territory. However, Dhaka remains unconvinced after raising the matter with Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi on Monday. Diplomatic sources indicated that allowing Hasina to deliver a political speech could further strain fragile bilateral ties.

Following Hasina's ouster, an interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took charge before Bangladesh held parliamentary elections in February 2026. The general elections were won by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by Tarique Rahman, while the Awami League was barred from contesting. Authorities in Dhaka have consistently rejected Hasina's allegations of political persecution. Separately, the Indian government confirmed for the first time that Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has been invited to attend the upcoming BRICS summit hosted by India in September.

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi had previously extended an invitation to Rahman for a bilateral visit, New Delhi specified that the current invitation is for the BRICS outreach session in Rahman's official capacity as the chair of BIMSTEC. (ANI)