It has now been exactly 100 days since Sheikh Hasina, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh and leader of the Awami League, arrived in India, with her stay shrouded in secrecy. Reports indicate that she is residing in a high-security area in a bungalow in Delhi, which is functioning as a safehouse, with extensive security measures in place.
No stranger to Delhi
Hasina is no stranger to Delhi. She and her sister sought refuge in the Indian capital in 1975 after her father, Bangladesh’s President Mujibur Rahman, was assassinated, along with other family members, during a military coup. While Hasina and her sister, Sheikh Rehana, were away at the time, they managed to escape the coup attempt and subsequent violence.
From 1975 to 1981, Hasina, along with her family, lived in Delhi under assumed identities, residing on Pandara Road. During this period, Hasina would return to Bangladesh to lead political struggles before eventually becoming Prime Minister.
Bangladesh under Sheikh Hasina
Over the years, Hasina has repeatedly expressed gratitude to India for providing her sanctuary during a time of peril. However, she could not have predicted that she would return to India decades later to live in secrecy once again.
Under her leadership, Bangladesh made significant socio-economic progress, including lifting millions out of poverty through the expansion of garment exports. However, Hasina increasingly displayed authoritarian tendencies. After regaining the prime ministership in 2009, she reportedly consolidated her power through allegedly rigged elections, fueling growing public discontent. The U.S. is said to have played a role in amplifying this dissatisfaction.
A major anti-government protest, initially sparked by demands for a reduction in government job quotas, escalated into a broader movement calling for Hasina’s removal. Hundreds were killed during the unrest, and Hasina was eventually forced to flee, taking a car from the scene to a helicopter that would take her to India.
100 days of Sheikh Hasina in India
Her journey to India began on August 5, when she arrived at the Hindon Air Force base near Delhi, aboard a C-130J Hercules. Reports confirmed that she was provided with all the necessary protocols typically reserved for heads of state, with security managed by the National Security Guard (NSG) and the Indian Air Force’s elite Garud commandos.
At the time, it was unclear how long Hasina would remain in India, with reports suggesting that she was attempting to seek asylum in the United Kingdom, where her niece, Tulip Siddiq, lives. Hosting Hasina, who had been ousted due to widespread discontent, was seen as a politically sensitive decision, particularly since some in Bangladesh held India responsible for Hasina’s political survival.
What initially seemed like a brief stay has now extended to 100 days, with little information publicly available about her current situation. After two days at Hindon, Hasina was moved to a more secure location in the Lutyens’ Bungalow Zone, an area housing high-ranking officials and lawmakers. The first confirmed report about Hasina’s location came from *The Financial Times* on September 18, which stated that Hasina was living in an Indian government safehouse.
Arrest warrant against Hasina
Further details indicated that Hasina is accompanied by her daughter, Saima Wazed Putul, who works for the World Health Organization in Delhi. The Financial Times also reported that Hasina had been seen walking in Lodhi Garden, a popular park in the capital.
An October report confirmed that Hasina had been residing in the Lutyens’ area for more than two months, where she is under constant protection by plainclothes security personnel. A core security team manages her movements outside the safehouse.
On October 18, the Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal issued an arrest warrant against Hasina for alleged involvement in crimes against humanity related to violence against protesters. A week later, the interim government under Muhammad Yunus announced plans to request Interpol’s assistance in having Hasina repatriated from India.
How long will Hasina remain in India?
Protests supporting Hasina, as well as those aligned with former U.S. President Donald Trump, have already begun in Dhaka, with the caretaker government responding with force. The political landscape in Bangladesh has shifted, with Trump having criticized the Yunus government over its treatment of Hindus, and his election as U.S. President further complicating the situation.
What was expected to be a short stay has now stretched into a prolonged and secretive 100 days, leaving questions about how long Hasina will remain in India under heavy security. Ironically, after four decades, Delhi has once again become her home.
