Sheikh Hasina vows to return to Bangladesh this year despite death sentence

Ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina has vowed to return ⁠to Bangladesh this year, brushing ⁠aside a death sentence handed down ⁠in absentia and denouncing the ruling as “illegal, unconstitutional and politically motivated”. Hasina, 78, who fled to India after a student-led uprising ousted her government in August 2024, said in an interview with Indian broadcaster NDTV that she was undeterred by the risk ‌and would overcome “every obstacle and every conspiracy” to return home. “I want to...

Sheikh Hasina dismisses a death sentence issued in absentia, calling it 'illegal, unconstitutional and politically motivated'.

Former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina, now in exile, plans to return this year despite a death sentence for crimes against humanity.

Bangladesh’s fugitive former leader Sheikh Hasina has vowed to return to her country “this year”, according to an interview published on Sunday, months after she was sentenced to death in absentia for crimes against humanity. Hasina, 78, fled to neighbouring India in August 2024 after a student-led uprising ended her 15-year, iron-fisted rule. She has not been seen in public since, except for a rare speech broadcast to a packed press club in New Delhi in January. In an interview with Indian broadcaster NDTV, Hasina said she was not afraid of death and that the verdict against her was “part of an illegal, unconstitutional and politically motivated process”. “Many conspiracies have been hatched against me. But breaking through every web of conspiracy … I was elected prime minister five times by the people’s vote and worked for the country’s unprecedented development,” Hasina said. “I want to say clearly: overcoming every obstacle and every conspiracy, I will return to my country this year,” she added in response to a question on whether she would return despite the death penalty verdict. Last November, Hasina was found guilty by a Dhaka court of incitement, order to kill and inaction to prevent atrocities, and sentenced to be hanged. The activities of her former ruling Awami League, once one of the country’s most popular, have been outlawed. Ties between India and Bangladesh have improved since Prime Minister Tarique Rahman won a landslide election victory in the South Asian nation of 170 million people in February. But frictions remain, with Bangladesh repeatedly demanding the extradition of Hasina.

Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said she plans to return to Bangladesh this year despite facing a death sentence, while accusing the country's current leadership of weakening democracy and failing to protect minority communities, according to an interview to NDTV.Speaking to the broadcaster, Hasina, who is in exile, said her return was linked to restoring democratic rights rather than personal political ambition. "My return is not a question of personal ambition. It is tied to a far larger question: the political rights of the people of Bangladesh, the restoration of democracy, the rule of law," she said, adding, "I will return to my country this year."She also said that legal proceedings against her were politically motivated. "The verdict against me is not justice. It is part of an illegal, unconstitutional, and politically motivated process," she told NDTV, adding that she did not fear death.The Awami League chief also defended her party's organisational strength, saying it continued to enjoy public support despite a nationwide ban and legal action against its leaders and workers. "The Awami League is not a paper organisation. It is a political force rooted in the soil of Bengal," she said, arguing that the party's recovery depended on the people rather than government decisions.Hasina alleged that Bangladesh had moved away from the ideals on which it was founded after her removal from power. She criticised the administrations led by Muhammad Yunus and the BNP, claiming democratic institutions had weakened, the economy had deteriorated and extremism had grown.On reports of attacks against minority communities, Hasina described the situation as deeply concerning. According to NDTV, she said attacks on Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and other minority groups had increased since August 2024 and called for stronger protection of religious freedom and equal rights. "Those who attack minorities, vandalise temples, or threaten people in the name of religion are not merely enemies of one community. They are the enemies of the spirit of Bangladesh's independence," she said.She also denied reports of any backchannel negotiations with the BNP over lifting the ban on the Awami League, saying constitutional rights and justice could not be subject to secret political agreements.Hasina said she remains in regular contact with her family while living in India but continues to closely monitor developments in Bangladesh. She added that her political focus remains on what she described as restoring democracy and protecting the rights of the Bangladeshi people.Sheikh Hasina was forced out of power on August 5, 2024, after weeks of student-led protests against a quota system for government jobs snowballed into a nationwide movement demanding an end to her 15-year rule. As demonstrators marched towards her official residence in Dhaka, Hasina fled to India. The military announced the formation of an interim administration, later headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. Since her ouster, Bangladesh has sought her extradition, while Hasina has remained in India and has dismissed the cases against her as politically motivated. Her Awami League has since been banned, and many of its leaders and workers have faced arrests and legal action.Meanwhile, Bangladesh is currently governed by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which came to power after winning a two-thirds majority in the February 2026 general election. BNP leader Tarique Rahman was sworn in as prime minister on February 17, 2026, replacing the interim administration. (With inputs from NDTV)