Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has vowed to return home in December even though she faces a death sentence over her government’s deadly crackdown on student-led protests in 2024. Hasina, who was removed from power after polls and lives in exile in India said neither arrest nor death will deter her from returning home.
In an email interview with The Associated Press (AP), Hasina said she was fully aware of the risks involved in returning to Bangladesh. But she said she could not spend the rest of her life watching from outside her country and its people suffer: “I cannot do that.”
“If death is my destiny I would rather die on soil of my country among people of my country,” Hasina said, adding that her decision to return was not changed.
Hasina Aware of Arrest and Imprisonment Risks
Hasina Bangladesh’s prime minister from 2009 until 2024 fled to India in August 2024 after massive student-led protests forced her out of office. She has been in India since then.
Her return is facing serious legal challenges. In November 2025, a Bangladeshi special tribunal sentenced her to death in absentia for crimes against humanity over the government’s response to the protests of 2024.
The tribunal held her responsible for the deadly crackdown that killed hundreds of people and injured thousands more. A United Nations report said nearly 1,400 people were killed in the unrest.
Hasina has denied wrongdoing and rejected the tribunal’s verdict as illegitimate. She questioned the legitimacy of proceedings.
When she talked about the consequences of returning she said that she could be arrested, imprisoned tortured or killed but she was prepared to face those possibilities rather than stay apart from her people.
Bangladesh Seeks Her Extradition From India
Hasina’s continued stay in India has been a major issue in relations between New Delhi and Dhaka.
Bangladesh has repeatedly asked for her extradition but India has not handed her over. This has added another dimension to the diplomatic problems between neighbouring countries.
Asked whether she expected India or the US to press Bangladesh to guarantee her safe return, Hasina said she was not asking for protection from foreign governments.
She said that going back to her own country was her decision and she did not need any foreign power’s approval for it.
Awami League Faces Political Uncertainty
Hasina’s return also comes at a bad time for her political party, Awami League. The party was banned from the February election and remains banned; several senior leaders have reportedly been arrested or forced into exile.
Hasina said thousands of party members and supporters had been arrested, violence or other forms of persecution since she was removed from power; supporters had lost homes, businesses and livelihoods because of their political views; supporters’ families had been separated; supporters had lost jobs because of their political beliefs.
She also said extremist groups were gaining more influence in Bangladesh, adding that the political situation had made hard-liners more confident.
Meanwhile Bangladesh has seen a sea change in its politics since Hasina left. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus headed an interim administration for 18 months before Tarique Rahman took over after February election.
December Return Could Trigger Political Tensions
Hasina has said she will return in December but has not specified when or how she will travel from India to Bangladesh.
Her return could bring fresh political and diplomatic problems the death sentence, the extradition dispute and the Awami League’s uncertain future included.
For now she’s saying that she won’t abandon her plans no matter what happens but seriously. Whether or not she will come back next month is unclear, but her latest comments have put Bangladesh’s political crisis and strained relationship with India once again in the international spotlight.
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