Ousted Leader Vows Return Next Month
Sheikh Hasina says she will face Bangladesh in December despite a death sentence and a ban on her political party.
By Gavin Wilson ·
Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has set a date for her return to Bangladesh: next month. She spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday, confirming she will come home from her exile in India in December. Her statement comes after she was sentenced to death by a special tribunal in 2025 for crimes against humanity.
The tribunal ruled that Hasina ordered a crackdown on student-led protesters in 2024. That suppression left hundreds of people dead and thousands injured, according to the court. A United Nations report estimates that nearly 1,400 people were killed during the unrest. Hasina denies any wrongdoing and has rejected the verdict, challenging the legitimacy of the trial.
Bangladesh has repeatedly asked India to extradite her, but New Delhi has declined. Hasina first announced her plan to return in August. She did not specify how she intends to cross the border or re-enter the country. She acknowledged that she could be arrested upon arrival, imprisoned, tortured, or killed. She said she cannot spend the rest of her life watching her people suffer from a distance.
Hasina served as prime minister from 2009 to 2024. After her ouster, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus led an interim administration for 18 months. In February, Tarique Rahman won a landslide election. Rahman is the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and a longtime rival of Hasina. Her Awami League party was barred from contesting that vote.
The party now faces an uncertain future amid a sweeping crackdown. It remains banned, and senior leaders have been arrested or driven into exile. Hasina alleges that at least 20,000 party members have been killed since August 2024. She says thousands more have been arrested, tortured, or forced into hiding. She also noted that supporters have lost homes, businesses, and livelihoods because of their political affiliations.
Several rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, have criticized Rahman’s government for assaults on civil and political rights in recent months. The government says the arrests involve specific charges. Hasina said the current environment is not normal or democratic. She accused authorities of systematically suppressing her party and noted that extremist elements have become more confident in their influence.
Hasina said she does not seek foreign protection from the United States or India. She stated that she values friendship and cooperation with all nations but does not need the blessing of a foreign power to return. The Press Wing of the prime minister’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
