Awami League, in a post on X, questioned the Bangladesh government for reportedly “spending money to hire PR firms and spread false information to the journalists of the world” that ex-prime minister Hasina would not participate in the virtual media briefing, and that the press conference would not take place.

[Urgent Announcement]

Fearing the announcement of Awami League President Sheikh Hasina’s upcoming press conference, Bangladesh’s so-called government is reportedly spending public money to hire PR firms to spread false information to journalists around the world, claiming that… pic.twitter.com/TNVB0Iw8rZ

— Bangladesh Awami League (@albd1971) August 4, 2026

“At the same time, they have continued to intimidate media outlets in Bangladesh, threatening journalists with lawsuits and other forms of harassment,” Awami League wrote in a post on X denouncing the Dhaka government.

Hasina set for first media interaction in two years

Hasina is scheduled to speak to journalists on August 5 at 6:30 pm Bangladesh local time (6:00 pm IST) in virtual mode at an event hosted by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia in New Delhi, in her first interaction after two years since she fled Dhaka after widespread student-led anti-government demonstrations.

Bangladesh had earlier issued a warning to the country’s media not to publicise the statements of exiled ex-PM Hasina during her planned virtual address on Wednesday, Reuters reported.

Death sentence, India’s stance and diplomatic backdrop

The Awami League president was sentenced to death in 2025 by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on charges of crimes against humanity over her crackdown on the demonstrations. Hasina had dismissed the verdict and called it legally void.

India has distanced itself from the virtual interaction of Hasina and said that it is a private media event.

The development comes after Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s foreign affairs adviser, Humayun Kabir, said that a public engagement by Hasina from Indian territory may weaken the positive momentum of the bilateral relations in the past couple of months.

When asked about Hasina’s virtual event, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “The interaction you refer to is being organised by a private media entity. The government has no involvement whatsoever in it. Neither does it endorse any views that may be expressed at the forum.”