Full Breakdown
Sheikh Hasina Plans December Return to Bangladesh, Vows to Surrender
7/14/2026, 6:45:20 AM
Planned Return and Surrender
Ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, 78, told Reuters she intends to travel from her self-imposed exile in New Delhi back to Bangladesh in December and present herself to the courts. In a nearly hour-long telephone interview she said she will go “even if they may arrest me on my return, they may even kill me,” emphasizing a desire to face trial on her native soil.
Ouster, Death Sentence and UN Findings
Hasina fled Bangladesh in August 2024 after mass protests ended her two-decade rule. A war-crimes court sentenced her in November 2024 to death in absentia for ordering a deadly crackdown on a student-led uprising. The United Nations reported that the crackdown killed as many as 1,400 people. Her Awami League party was banned, and numerous party leaders and workers have been arrested or forced into hiding.
Government Reactions
Bangladesh’s state minister for foreign affairs, Shama Obaed Islam, described Hasina as “a convicted criminal” and said “if she surrenders, action will be taken against her as per the laws of Bangladesh.” The current administration, led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s government since February 2025, has repeatedly requested India’s extradition of Hasina. India’s foreign ministry replied in April 2025 that it was “examining the request” and sought to “engage constructively with the new government and further strengthen bilateral ties.” The Bangladeshi government has not issued a formal comment on Hasina’s recent interview.
Criticism and Opposition
Human-rights observers and opposition figures continue to cite the 1,400-death toll and accusations that Hasina’s long tenure “crushed dissent and dismantled democratic checks and balances.” The UN-cited casualty figure underscores the international criticism of the crackdown that precipitated her downfall.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Sheikh Hasina is a convicted criminal. If she surrenders, action will be taken against her as per the laws of Bangladesh,” — Shama Obaed Islam, State Minister for Foreign Affairs
- “They may arrest me on my return, they may even kill me,” — Sheikh Hasina, former prime minister
- “Cases have been filed against almost all of our leaders and workers, and many of them are in hiding,” — Sheikh Hasina
- “I believe in justice and I feel that once proceedings start, it will be clear to the people how farcical the court is — and that I want to prove it.” — Sheikh Hasina
- “They may have convicted me, and I may not be able to contest elections," she said.” — Sheikh Hasina
