{
  "id": 178935,
  "title": "'India great friend,' says Hasina; son claims B'desh becoming 'another Pak'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/05/india-great-friend-says-hasina-son-claims-bdesh-becoming-another-pak",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-05T13:34:14.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Times of India",
    "slug": "times-of-india",
    "url": "https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/students-emotionally-manipulated-sheikh-hasina-on-truth-behind-bangladesh-protests-that-led-to-her-ouster/articleshow/132928027.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asserted on Wednesday that organized entities manipulated the 2024 student protests in her country, transforming the demonstrations into tools for violent political maneuvering. Addressing her inaugural public appearance since the downfall of her ruling Awami League, Hasina emphasized that the protests were exploited to bypass democratic channels and seize power. Speaking from her daughter's perspective as the progeny of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Hasina affirmed her government's initial commitment to resolving the unrest through dialogue. However, she alleged that clandestine forces orchestrated the movement, employing subtle instructions to steer it toward violence. Hasina's remarks come amid heightened tensions with India, with her son Sajeeb Wazed branding Bangladesh as \"another Pakistan on India's eastern front,\" alleging covert intelligence operations involving Pakistan's ISI within the nation. Wazed also questioned the discrepancy in the reported death toll from the July-August 2024 student-led protests, disputing the United Nations' estimate of around 1,400 deaths compared to the interim government's figure of over 800. Wazed further criticized the former interim government led by economist Muhammad Yunus, alleging the granting of blanket legal immunity to protesters implicated in killings and the detention of thousands without trial. He also claimed several detainees suffered deaths in custody. Hasina, who has been residing in India since her August 2024 exodus, was subsequently sentenced to death in absentia on charges of crimes against humanity and genocide tied to the 2024 crackdown.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}