Ex-Bangladesh cricket captain Shakib's home attacked after joining Hasina's first public media event since ouster

On Wednesday, the ancestral home of former Bangladesh cricket captain Shakib Al Hasan in Magura town was subjected to an attack, with windows smashed and petrol bombs thrown. The attack resulted in a fire on the upper floor of the residence, though no one was injured as the property was unoccupied. Shakib, a former Awami League lawmaker, joined a virtual event organized by the Foreign Correspondents Club of South Asia in New Delhi.

Sheikh Hasina, the ousted Prime Minister, vowed to return to Bangladesh in December, stating she has been sentenced to death there. During the audio address, Hasina reiterated her intention to return, acknowledging the potential consequences. The event marked Hasina's first public media interaction since her removal from power in 2024.

She also called for the lifting of the ban on her party, the Awami League, which has been barred from political activity since her ouster. The Bangladesh foreign ministry condemned Hasina's media appearance, deeming it an affront to Bangladesh's sovereignty and warning of potential harm to bilateral relations. Hasina, 78, has been residing in New Delhi since August 2024, with Bangladesh seeking her extradition, which India is currently examining.

In November 2025, the country's war crimes tribunal sentenced her to death in absentia for the deadly crackdown on the 2024 student-led uprising, a charge she has dismissed as politically motivated.