Dhaka, November 6:
Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has reiterated her intention to return from exile in India in December, despite facing a death sentence over her government’s crackdown on protesters during the 2024 uprising.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Hasina said she remained determined to return to her country, even if she faced arrest, imprisonment or death. She fled to India in August 2024 after student-led protests forced her from power following 15 years in office.
“I will return to Bangladesh. That decision has not changed,” she said, adding that she would rather face death in her homeland than remain in exile.
A Bangladeshi special tribunal sentenced Hasina to death in 2025 for crimes against humanity, holding her responsible for the deadly crackdown on demonstrators. A United Nations report estimated that nearly 1,400 people were killed during the unrest. Hasina has denied wrongdoing and rejected the legitimacy of the trial.
Bangladesh has repeatedly sought her extradition from India, but New Delhi has not handed her over.
Her proposed return comes amid uncertainty over the future of her Awami League party, which remains banned from political activity. Several senior leaders have been arrested or forced into exile following her removal.
Hasina alleged that thousands of party members had been killed, arrested or driven into hiding since August 2024. She also accused the current government of suppressing political opposition and allowing extremist groups to gain influence. These allegations have not been independently established.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus led the interim administration after Hasina’s ouster. Tarique Rahman, leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, subsequently became Prime Minister following the February 2026 election, in which the Awami League was barred from participating.
Hasina said she did not seek protection from foreign governments to facilitate her return. Her announcement raises fresh questions about Bangladesh’s political stability, the handling of her extradition request and the future of democratic opposition in the country.
The Bangladeshi government has not publicly responded to her latest remarks.