Sheikh Hasina's virtual Delhi press conference followed by petrol bomb attack on Shakib Al Hasan's home
Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addressed a virtual press conference from Delhi on 5 August 2026, organized by the Foreign Correspondents' Club of South Asia. In the broadcast she vowed to return to Bangladesh in December, saying she was ready to face arrest or even death to restore democracy, development, secularism and prosperity.
Former Bangladesh cricket captain and ex‑Awami League MP Shakib Al Hasan joined the virtual event. Hours later, his ancestral residence in the Keshabmor area of Magura was attacked. Unidentified assailants threw petrol bombs, bricks and stones, vandalising windows and attempting to set the house ablaze. Police reported the incident occurred around 20:45 local time; no injuries were recorded and the perpetrators remain unknown.
The Awami League condemned the attack, calling it the "cost of attending the press conference" and labeling the situation as neo‑fascism. Bangladesh’s foreign ministry expressed displeasure at Hasina’s virtual appearance, while India stated the event was a private programme with no government involvement. The incident highlights rising political tension in Bangladesh following the 2024 coup that forced Hasina into exile.
Entities: Awami League · Bangladesh · Bangladesh Foreign Ministry · Foreign Correspondents' Club of South Asia · Magura · Magura Sadar Police Station · Shakib Al Hasan · Sheikh Hasina
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 3 SOURCES] During the conference Hasina said she would return to Bangladesh in December and was prepared to face arrest or death. (multiple articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Shakib Al Hasan participated in the virtual press conference. (multiple articles)
- [● 5 SOURCES] Awami League said the attack was the cost of attending the press conference and described the situation as neo‑fascism. (multiple articles)
- [● 6 SOURCES] Sheikh Hasina held a virtual press conference from Delhi on 5 August 2026 organized by the Foreign Correspondents' Club of South Asia. (multiple articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] No injuries were reported in the attack. (multiple articles)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Bangladesh's foreign ministry expressed displeasure at Hasina's virtual talk. (multiple articles)
- [● 7 SOURCES] Hours after the conference, Shakib Al Hasan's ancestral house in Magura, Bangladesh was attacked with petrol bombs and vandalism. (multiple articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The attack occurred at around 20:45 local time on 5 August 2026. (multiple articles)