Sheikh Hasina says she will return to Bangladesh in December
The former Prime Minister expressed her commitment to return to Dhaka despite a death sentence issued by a Bangladeshi special tribunal.
Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stated on Wednesday that she intends to return to Dhaka in December, according to a Times of India report.
Hasina told The Associated Press that she is prepared to face potential arrest, imprisonment, or death, stating she would rather die on her own soil than watch her people suffer from a distance.
A special tribunal in Bangladesh ordered a death sentence for Hasina in 2025 regarding a crackdown on protesters. She has rejected the verdict and questioned the legitimacy of the trial, denying any wrongdoing.
The former leader, who served as Prime Minister from 1996 to 2001 and from 2009 to 2024, sought asylum in New Delhi in 2024 after a student-led uprising. Bangladesh has requested her extradition from India, but New Delhi said the request is undergoing legal examination.
Hasina also alleged that at least 20,000 members of her Awami League party have been killed since August 2024 and claimed that thousands have been arrested or tortured. She accused authorities of targeting the party and noted that the current political environment has allowed extremist elements to gain confidence.
The Awami League remains banned, and the party was barred from contesting the recent election won by Tarique Rahman. Hasina said she is not seeking protection from foreign powers to facilitate her return.
