Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted in 2024 following a mass uprising, has stated her intention to return to Bangladesh from exile in India next month. This resolve comes despite a death sentence handed down over her government's crackdown on protesters.
Hasina fled to India after student-led protests forced her from power and has remained there since. In 2025, a special tribunal sentenced her to death for crimes against humanity, finding her responsible for ordering a crackdown that resulted in hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries. The United Nations reported nearly 1,400 fatalities related to the unrest. Hasina has denied any wrongdoing and challenged the legitimacy of her trial.
Bangladesh has sought Hasina’s extradition, but India has not complied. She first announced her intention to return in December, previously stating in August her plan to come back. "If death is my destiny, I would rather die on the soil of my own country, among my own people," Hasina told The Associated Press via email. "So, I will return to Bangladesh. That decision has not changed."
Hasina, who served as prime minister from 2009 to 2024, did not disclose the specific details of her return from India and acknowledged she could face arrest upon arrival. "I know that I may be arrested when I return. I may be imprisoned, tortured or even killed. I am fully aware of those possibilities. But I cannot spend the rest of my life watching my people suffer from a distance," she stated.
Following Hasina’s ouster, an interim administration led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus took charge of the country. In February, Tarique Rahman, son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and a political rival of Hasina, came to power after an election held under Yunus’ administration. Hasina’s Awami League party was barred from contesting this election.
Hasina's party faces an uncertain future, with its leaders arrested or in exile. She alleged that over 20,000 party members have been killed since August 2024, with many others arrested, tortured, or forced into hiding. She also claimed supporters have lost homes and businesses due to their political affiliations.
"There is no normal political or democratic environment," Hasina said, accusing authorities of suppressing her party. Rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, have criticized the current government for infringements on civil and political rights, though the government maintains arrests are based on specific charges.
Hasina stated she does not require foreign protection for her return. "I value friendship and cooperation with all nations. That has always been our (Bangladesh’s) foreign policy. But I do not need the blessing of a foreign power to return to my own country," she said.
Concerns have been raised by global rights groups and observers about the growing influence of radical elements and intimidation of minority groups during the interim administration. Hasina, who had adopted a firm stance against radical groups during her tenure, expressed concern about the increasing presence of hard-liners in Bangladesh, stating, "The present political environment has allowed extremist elements to become more confident."