‘Escaped Death by 20-25 Minutes, Plot to Kill Me and My Sister’: Sheikh Hasina’s Claim

Dhaka (The Uttam Hindu): Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has accused her political adversaries of plotting to kill her and her younger sister, Sheikh Rehana. In an audio speech posted late Friday night on the Bangladesh Awami League’s Facebook page, Hasina recounted, “Rehana and I narrowly escaped. We survived by a mere 20-25 minutes.” These remarks come amidst allegations surrounding her removal from power last year following intense student-led protests. The prolonged demonstrations and clashes led to Sheikh Hasina’s ousting as Bangladesh’s Prime Minister. Over 600 people reportedly lost their lives during the unrest.

Reflecting on conspiracies and survival

Following her removal, Sheikh Hasina fled to India. Under the leadership of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus an interim government was established in Bangladesh. Reflecting on her experiences, Hasina said, “There were multiple conspiracies to kill me. Surviving events like the August 21 grenade attack, the Kotliapara bomb plot and even the incident on August 5, 2024 was purely by Allah’s will. I feel Allah’s hand has been over me; otherwise, I wouldn’t have survived this time. You’ve seen how they conspired to kill me but Allah’s mercy has kept me alive. Perhaps Allah has a purpose for me yet. However, I am suffering, living without my country and my home, everything burned to the ground.”

Recalling deadly attacks and conspiracies

The August 21, 2004 grenade attack at a terrorism protest rally organized by the Awami League on Bangabandhu Avenue remains one of the most harrowing attempts on Sheikh Hasina’s life. The attack left 24 people dead and over 500 injured. The grenade exploded at 5:22 PM as opposition leader Sheikh Hasina addressed a crowd of 20,000 from a truck. While she sustained some injuries she survived the assassination attempt. Similarly, the Kotliapara bomb plot was another sinister attempt on Hasina’s life. Mentioned in her audio message the incident occurred on July 21, 2000 when a 76-kilogram bomb was discovered. Two days later, another 40-kilogram bomb was found at Sheikh Lutfar Rahman Ideal College in Kotliapara where Sheikh Hasina, the Awami League leader and opposition figure was scheduled to address a rally on July 22, 2000.