- Sheikh Hasina, emotional, decried Bangladesh straying from ideals.
The Bangladesh Awami League has claimed that the residence of former Bangladesh captain Sakib Al Hasan was targeted in a petrol bomb attack just hours after he appeared alongside former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during her first press conference since being forced out of the country. In a post on X, the party alleged the attack was linked to Sakib’s participation in the press conference and accused political opponents of threatening media organisations ahead of the event.
Awami League’s Allegations
The party further claimed that, before the event, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party (NCP) had publicly threatened national media outlets with legal action if they reported on the press conference.
Torching residences : the cost of attending Awami League press conference
Neo fascism engulfs BangladeshA grisly petrol bomb attack took place at the residence of Bangladesh’s celebrated cricket icon Sakib Al hasan, hours after the world famous star cricketer appeared at a… pic.twitter.com/Uqmwwih3XG
— Bangladesh Awami League (@albd1971) August 5, 2026
The Awami League described the attack as part of what it called an ongoing campaign against its activists.
Also Read: ‘This Is Not Bangladesh We Fought For’: Sheikh Hasina Breaks Down In First Press Conference Since Ouster
Hasina’s First Press Conference
Earlier on Wednesday, Sheikh Hasina held her first press conference since being forced out of Bangladesh, addressing the media via video link from New Delhi.
During the briefing, Hasina became emotional while remembering members of her family and said Bangladesh had moved away from the ideals for which millions had sacrificed their lives.
She alleged that organised groups had transformed students’ demands into a violent political movement aimed at bringing about a change in government.
‘This Is Not Bangladesh’
Hasina said she was speaking not only as a former prime minister but also as the daughter of Bangladesh’s founding leader.
She claimed that fear had spread across Bangladesh over the past few years and asserted that the country was no longer the Bangladesh for which millions had made sacrifices.
Defending her government’s handling of the unrest, Hasina said her administration had attempted to resolve the situation through dialogue, legal processes and patience.
She alleged that certain organised groups had instead used the protests as a political weapon.
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