100 days of secrecy: Sheikh Hasina’s ousted stay in India amid crisis

Sheikh Hasina, the ousted Prime Minister of Bangladesh, marked 100 days of her secret stay in India this Wednesday. After fleeing Dhaka on August 5, Hasina sought refuge in India and has since been living in a high-security safehouse in Delhi. This marks her second covert stay in the Indian capital, a dramatic return after 40 years.

The final moments of Hasina’s departure from Bangladesh were captured in a brief video, showing her hastily packing two suitcases and getting into a car. This was the last footage before she crossed the border into India. For the past 100 days, Hasina, the leader of the Awami League, has been hidden away in an undisclosed location in Delhi, where security arrangements are reportedly foolproof.

Delhi holds significant historical weight for Hasina. In 1975, when her father, Mujibur Rahman, the first President of Bangladesh, and other family members were assassinated, Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana were away on vacation. They narrowly escaped the army coup that led to the tragic deaths of their family. The two sisters took refuge in India and lived under an assumed identity in Delhi from 1975 to 1981.

Hasina's time in India during her first exile helped shape her political future. After several years of political struggle, she returned to Bangladesh and became the Prime Minister, leading the country through significant socio-economic development, including poverty reduction and booming garment exports. However, as her political career progressed, she began exhibiting increasingly authoritarian traits, especially after returning to power in 2009. Allegations of rigged elections and growing public discontent led to mass protests calling for her removal.

The tipping point came when an anti-quota protest spiraled into widespread agitation against her rule. As protests escalated and hundreds were killed, Hasina was forced to leave Bangladesh. On August 5, she made a hurried departure, first landing at Hindon Air Force base near Delhi in a C-130J Hercules aircraft. The Indian government immediately extended the protocols typically reserved for heads of state, offering her full protection.

Now, 100 days into her secret stay in India, Hasina remains in a high-security area, once again seeking refuge in the country that once served as her sanctuary. Despite the political turmoil in Bangladesh, her return to the Indian capital has become a symbol of the ongoing struggle for power in her homeland.