Key Points
- Hasina faces death sentence in absentia.
- Bangladesh has sought her extradition from India.
- Hasina denies all charges against her.
- India-Bangladesh ties remain under strain.
- Hasina says people should judge her legacy.
ISLAMABAD: Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said she plans to return from exile in India around December and voluntarily surrender before a court despite facing a death sentence in her home country.
Speaking to Reuters in a telephone interview early Friday, the 78-year-old former premier said she and senior leaders of her banned Awami League intend to return together to challenge what they describe as politically motivated cases.
“They may arrest me on my return, they may even kill me. Still, I have to go,” Hasina told Reuters, adding that she wanted to die in her homeland if necessary.
She said Awami League leaders and workers were facing severe repression and that they planned to surrender collectively before the courts.
Death sentence, exile
Hasina has been living in India since fleeing Bangladesh in 2024 after mass protests ended her two-decade rule across multiple terms.
According to Reuters, Bangladesh’s war crimes tribunal sentenced her to death in absentia in November over allegations that she ordered a deadly crackdown on a student-led uprising. Hasina has consistently denied the charges.
She also said Bangladesh had repeatedly requested India to extradite her, but insisted she would return voluntarily rather than be sent back.
reported that Bangladesh’s government did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Hasina’s remarks, while India’s foreign ministry also did not comment. Earlier this year, New Delhi said it was examining Dhaka’s extradition request while seeking constructive engagement with Bangladesh’s new government.
Political implications
Reuters reported that Hasina’s return could further polarise Bangladesh’s political landscape as authorities attempt to restore stability following two years of political turmoil. At the same time, it could influence relations between Bangladesh and India, which have been strained since New Delhi granted her refuge.
Hasina said she had not discussed her return plans with any foreign government and declined to specify the exact date of her return or which court she would appear before.
Defending her record
During the interview, Hasina defended her political career, saying that while governments can make mistakes, it is ultimately the people who should decide their fate through democratic means.
“They may have convicted me, and I may not be able to contest elections. But why should they suspend the Awami League? If we have done badly, let the people decide,” she told Reuters.
She also said she had been conducting online meetings covering 125 of Bangladesh’ 300 parliamentary constituencies as part of efforts to reorganise the Awami League while in exile.
Hasina acknowledged that she could face imprisonment upon her return but said previous arrests throughout her political career had not deterred her from returning to Bangladesh.
