Photo: Protesters deface a mural of Sheikh Hasina during the 2024 uprising. The former Prime Minister now plans to return to face the courts.
Condemned ex-PM Hasina Plans December Return to Bangladesh
Political Desk | GenZ Frontier | July 10, 2026
NEW DELHI / DHAKA — Ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has announced her intention to return to her homeland from exile this December, setting the stage for a monumental legal and political clash [1.2.5]. Despite facing a death sentence passed down during her two-year stay in India, the 78-year-old former leader remains defiant [1.2.3, 1.2.5].
In a telephone interview with the Reuters news agency published on Friday, Hasina stated she plans to return to Bangladesh alongside senior officials from her Awami League party to directly challenge the legal shuttering of her political faction [1.2.5].
Her anticipated return threatens to jolt ongoing efforts to stabilize Bangladeshi politics following the 2024 mass revolt against her increasingly authoritarian rule—a deadly uprising that ultimately forced her to flee the country [1.2.3, 1.2.5]. However, the move could simultaneously defuse severe diplomatic tensions with neighboring India, which have been strained by New Delhi’s decision to offer her refuge [1.2.5].
"If Death Comes, I Want It to Come on My Own Soil"
Speaking from the Indian capital, Hasina acknowledged the extreme personal risks associated with her return, given the severe legal verdicts issued against her in absentia [1.2.5].
“They may arrest me on my return, they may even kill me,” Hasina said during the interview. “Still, I have to go. If death comes, I want it to come on my own soil [1.2.1, 1.2.5].”
Hasina framed her return as a coordinated effort to fight the legal actions taken against the Awami League, which has been banned by the current administration [1.2.5]. She revealed that she has urged other exiled party members, including former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal—who also faces a death sentence—to join her in this mass return [1.2.3, 1.2.5].
“All together, we will all surrender in court,” she insisted, describing the ongoing legal proceedings against her as “farcical [1.2.5].”
Dhaka Responds: "Buried in Delhi"
While Hasina prepares her legal and political defense, the current authorities in Dhaka have made it unequivocally clear that they will offer no quarter to the former leader [1.2.5].
Speaking at an event on July 4 commemorating the second anniversary of the historic student-led uprising, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed delivered a scathing rebuke of Hasina's legacy [1.2.5].
“After such brutal murders and genocide, the mass murderer Sheikh Hasina has no remorse to this day,” Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed stated, as reported by the Bengali daily Prothom Alo [1.2.5].
He added emphatically: “The Awami League has been politically destroyed, eliminated and buried in Delhi [1.2.5].”
A Complicated Legacy and Diplomatic Friction
Sheikh Hasina’s 20-year tenure across multiple terms was defined by stark contradictions [1.2.1, 1.2.5]. Under her leadership, Bangladesh’s economy transformed, lifting millions out of poverty and cementing the nation's status as a global garment export powerhouse [1.2.1, 1.2.5]. Yet, those landmark infrastructural and developmental achievements were deeply overshadowed by a descent into authoritarianism, systematic suppression of political dissent, and allegations of heavily rigged elections [1.2.5].
Despite her exile, Hasina has actively begun reorganizing her party from abroad, conducting online meetings encompassing more than 100 parliamentary constituencies [1.2.3, 1.2.5]. While she acknowledged that her recent convictions may legally bar her from contesting future elections, she sharply criticized Dhaka’s suppression of her entire political faction [1.2.3, 1.2.5].
“Why should they suspend the Awami League?” she questioned during the interview. “If we have done badly, let the people decide [1.2.3, 1.2.5].”
Meanwhile, Hasina’s continued presence in India has remained a major point of friction [1.2.5]. Bangladesh’s new authorities have repeatedly demanded her extradition [1.2.5]. Indian officials have publicly stated they are examining the extradition requests while wishing to “engage constructively” with Dhaka [1.2.5]. Should Hasina return voluntarily, it may alleviate the diplomatic bind New Delhi currently finds itself in, shifting the crisis squarely back to the courts of Dhaka [1.2.5].
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Why is Sheikh Hasina planning to return to Bangladesh? Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stated she plans to return to challenge the legal banning of her party, the Awami League, and to voluntarily surrender to the courts alongside other exiled party leaders.
2. What charges does Sheikh Hasina face in Bangladesh? She faces a death sentence issued in absentia for her role in ordering a deadly crackdown on protesters during the 2024 student-led uprising that ultimately forced her from power.
3. How has the current government in Dhaka reacted? The current administration remains fiercely opposed to her. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed recently labeled her a "mass murderer" with "no remorse," declaring that the Awami League has been "politically destroyed."
4. How might her return affect Bangladesh-India relations? Her voluntary return could ease bilateral tensions, as Bangladesh has repeatedly demanded her extradition from India, placing New Delhi in a difficult diplomatic position for the past two years.
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