Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said she will remain in India and not return to her country under any government formed after elections that exclude her party, the Awami League. Speaking from her exile in New Delhi, the 78-year-old leader described the ban on her party as “unjust and self-defeating”.

Hasina fled to India in August 2024 after a student-led uprising that resulted in her ouster. An interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has since been in charge, with general elections scheduled for February next year.

“The next government must have electoral legitimacy. Millions of people support the Awami League, so as things stand, they will not vote,” she said in written responses to media. “You cannot disenfranchise millions if you want a political system that works.”

Hope for Awami League’s return to polls

Bangladesh’s Election Commission suspended the Awami League’s registration in May, citing national security and ongoing war crimes investigations against senior party figures. The Nobel laureate-led government also banned all party activities earlier this year.

Hasina said her party is not asking supporters to vote for other parties and still hopes “common sense will prevail” so that the Awami League can contest the election. However, she did not reveal if any communication is ongoing with authorities in Dhaka regarding the issue.

The Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) have dominated the country’s political landscape for decades. The BNP is expected to benefit from the ruling’s absence in the upcoming vote.

Hasina faces war crimes charges

Hasina, credited with driving Bangladesh’s economic growth but accused of human rights violations during her long tenure, is facing charges of crimes against humanity for the violent crackdown on protests in 2024. A verdict from Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal is expected on November 13.

According to UN estimates, up to 1,400 people were killed and thousands injured during the unrest, primarily from gunfire by security forces. Prosecutors also allege she oversaw enforced disappearances and torture of opposition activists through secret detention centres.

Rejecting the allegations, Hasina said, “These proceedings are a politically motivated charade. They’ve been brought by kangaroo courts, with guilty verdicts a foregone conclusion.”

“I live freely in Delhi, but would love to return”

Despite her exile, Hasina remains hopeful that her party will play a role in Bangladesh’s future politics. “It’s not about me or my family,” she said, adding that her son Sajeeb Wazed, based in Washington, could lead if asked.

Hasina, who lost most of her family in the 1975 military coup, said she lives “freely in Delhi” but remains vigilant due to her family’s violent past. She was recently spotted taking a stroll in Lodhi Garden with her security team, acknowledging locals who recognised her.

“I would of course love to go home, so long as the government there was legitimate, the constitution was being upheld, and law and order genuinely prevailed,” she said.

Former US President Donald Trump has announced that a long-pending trade agreement between the United States and India will soon be signed, indicating a breakthrough after months of stalled discussions.

Trump praises ties with Prime Minister Modi

Speaking during his visit to South Korea, Trump said, “I’m doing a trade deal with India and have great respect and love for Prime Minister Narendra Modi… we have a great relationship.” His comments suggest that the long-awaited trade pact between the two major economies is nearing completion.

Talks see progress after months of delay

Negotiations for the deal had been delayed due to disagreements over issues such as India’s import of discounted Russian oil, high reciprocal tariffs imposed by the US, and India’s restrictions on access to its dairy and agriculture markets. Reports last week indicated progress on two of the three contentious points.

The US reportedly agreed to lower tariffs to 16 per cent—down from the earlier 50 per cent—after India consented to scale back purchases of Russian oil. This development followed a phone conversation between Trump and Prime Minister Modi, though neither side publicly confirmed the details.

The Lawrence Bishnoi gang has once again made headlines after claiming responsibility for the killing of Indian-origin industrialist Darshan Singh Sahasi in Abbotsford, British Columbia, and for firing shots outside Punjabi singer Channi Nattan’s house.

Industrialist killed outside home

According to reports, Darshan Singh Sahasi, 68, was gunned down outside his home on Monday morning. Preliminary investigation revealed that the shooter had been waiting near Sahasi’s car parked outside his residence. As soon as he got into his vehicle, the assailant opened fire and fled the scene.

Sahasi was found critically injured when police arrived, but despite emergency efforts, he succumbed to his wounds. Authorities imposed precautionary lockdowns in three nearby schools under “shelter-in-place” protocols; no students were harmed.

Gang member Goldy Dhillon took to social media to claim responsibility for the killing, alleging that Sahasi was involved in a drug-related business and had refused to pay extortion money.

A self-made entrepreneur

Sahasi, the president of Canam International—a well-known textile recycling firm—moved to Canada in 1991. He began his journey with small jobs before transforming a struggling textile unit into a successful global business. Known for his philanthropy, Sahasi’s death has left the Punjabi community in Abbotsford in shock. Community leaders have urged authorities to take swift action to ensure the safety of Indian-origin residents in Canada.

Firing outside singer’s residence

In another incident, shots were fired outside the residence of Punjabi singer Channi Nattan. Goldy Dhillon also claimed responsibility for this act, stating it was a warning over Nattan’s growing association with another singer, Sardar Khera. The gang clarified that it held no personal grudge against Nattan but cautioned that any artist collaborating with Khera would face consequences.

The gang’s growing international reach

The Lawrence Bishnoi gang, designated as a terrorist organization by Canada, reportedly controls a network of over 700 shooters across multiple countries. The group has been linked to high-profile cases, including the killing of singer-turned-politician Sidhu Moosewala and threats against Bollywood actor Salman Khan.