 "Escaped death by just 20-25 min: Hasina's party shares emotional voice note")
A voice note from ousted Bangladesh premier Sheikh Hasina, detailing her narrow escape from an alleged assassination attempt last August, has been circulated online by her Awami League party. The 77-year-old leader, speaking in a trembling voice, attributed her survival to divine intervention and accused her political rivals of conspiring against her life. The voice note has been shared on the party’s Facebook page.
Fleeing Dhaka
In the audio clip, Hasina recounts fleeing Dhaka with her sister, Rehana, on August 5, 2024, just minutes before a mob stormed her residence.
"Rehana and I survived... We escaped death by just 20-25 minutes. I feel surviving the killings on August 21, surviving the bomb in Kotalipara, or surviving on August 5, 2024, there must be a will of Allah, hand of Allah. Otherwise, I wouldn't have survived this time," she is heard saying in Bangla.
She expressed gratitude to the almighty for their survival, comparing it to past assassination attempts, including the deadly grenade attack on August 21, 2004, which killed at least 24 people, and the Kotalipara bomb plot of July 2000.
Political accusations
Hasina, who has since been living in exile in Delhi, accused her political opponents of orchestrating her downfall. Wanted in Bangladesh on corruption charges, she suggested her survival indicates a higher purpose for her life. In her emotional message, Hasina lamented the loss of her home and country.
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"I am suffering, I am without my country, my home, everything has been burned," she is heard saying as her voice breaks down.
Extradition request
Bangladesh has formally requested her extradition, though the Indian foreign ministry has acknowledged the request without offering further comments. The bilateral relationship between the two countries has been strained following the political upheaval and attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, which India feels has not been adequately addressed.
Hasina's resignation and interim govt
Hasina, the daughter of Bangladesh's founding father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, had resigned amid violent student protests.
Following her departure, an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, supported by the military, assumed power. The turbulent period saw significant political clashes and unrest.