Sheikh Hasina Vows To Return To Bangladesh Despite Death Sentence

Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina says she will return from exile in India in December despite facing a death sentence over the deadly 2024 crackdown on anti-government protests. Hasina rejected the charges as politically motivated and demanded the lifting of the ban on her Awami League party. Her announcement has further strained relations between Bangladesh and India, as Dhaka continues to seek her extradition while the country remains deeply divided over her legacy.

Ousted former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has announced plans to return to Bangladesh from exile in India later this year despite facing a death sentence over her government's deadly crackdown on anti-government protests.
Speaking during a media event organised by the Foreign Correspondents' Club of South Asia in New Delhi on Wednesday, Hasina said she intended to return in December, although she did not specify an exact date.
"I will return to my people," she declared in a pre-recorded audio message.
"I know they may imprison me, they may kill me, anything may happen, but I have to go back. Fear cannot determine my duty to the people."
The event marked Hasina's first public media appearance since fleeing Bangladesh in August 2024 following mass student-led demonstrations that ended her long rule.

FACES DEATH SENTENCE

Hasina remains in self-imposed exile in India after a Bangladeshi court convicted her in absentia in 2025 on charges of crimes against humanity linked to the violent suppression of protests.
The court sentenced her to death after prosecutors accused her administration of responsibility for the deaths of hundreds of demonstrators.
A United Nations investigation later estimated that nearly 1,400 people were killed during the crackdown.
Hasina has consistently rejected the charges, describing the trial as politically motivated and lacking judicial independence.

POLITICAL RIVALRY INTENSIFIES

Relations between Bangladesh and India have remained strained since Hasina's arrival in India.
Bangladesh has repeatedly requested her extradition, while Indian authorities have confirmed receiving the request but have not announced a final decision.
The administration of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, who assumed office following the February 2026 elections, criticised India's decision to allow Hasina to address the media.
Bangladesh's Foreign Ministry described the event as an affront to the country's sovereignty and warned that it could complicate bilateral relations.
Domestic media organisations were also instructed not to publish or broadcast Hasina's remarks in line with an earlier court order restricting her public statements.

AWAMI LEAGUE STILL BANNED

Hasina also called for the ban on her Awami League party to be lifted and demanded the release of political prisoners.
The Awami League was barred from contesting the 2026 general election following its removal from power.
Hasina argued that the original student demonstrations over public sector job quotas had been exploited as part of a broader effort to overthrow her government.
She further claimed Bangladesh's economy had deteriorated since her departure, pointing to weaker investment, slower economic growth and rising unemployment.

NEW MUSEUM COMMEMORATES UPRISING

As Hasina addressed journalists in New Delhi, protesters in Dhaka burned an effigy of the former leader.
Authorities also inaugurated the July Mass Uprising Memorial Museum, located inside Hasina's former official residence.
The museum documents the 2024 protests through photographs, personal belongings of victims, official records and multimedia exhibits detailing alleged human rights abuses during her administration.
The opening ceremony was attended by interim leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, who assumed office shortly after Hasina's removal, as well as Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

DIVISIONS REMAIN DEEP

The latest developments underscore the continuing political divisions in Bangladesh.
While the new government portrays Hasina's prosecution as part of a broader accountability process, her supporters argue she remains the victim of political persecution.
With Hasina insisting she will return despite the risks, analysts warn that her planned comeback could further heighten political tensions and test already fragile relations between Bangladesh and India.