Sheikh Hasina’s Exile in India and Bangladesh’s 2026 Elections

• Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has completed a year in exile in India, despite her departure from Dhaka.

• She remains in regular contact with Awami League party leaders and in exile globally.

• Her exact whereabouts remain a mystery due to New Delhi’s discouragement from overt political activity.

• Hasina faces charges over corruption, human rights violations, and war crimes during her tenure, making her return to Dhaka unlikely.

• Bangladesh’s interim government’s Chief Adviser, Muhammad Yunus, has banned the Awami League from standing for elections.

• Hasina has sent out recorded audio messages and addressed a live “rally” for supporters in Dhaka, which ended in extreme violence.

• Her political speeches have been more muted since the Modi government increased its engagement with the Yunus administration.

• The MEA has stated that Hasina’s comments have been made in her individual capacity, which India has no role to play.