‘They may even kill me, still I have to go’: Sheikh Hasina says she will return to Bangladesh

Ousted Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina has said she and senior colleagues from the banned Awami League plan will return from exile in India around December and surrender before a court in Bangladesh, where she is facing a death sentence. Hasina said she would return voluntarily to the country she fled in 2024, despite the risk of arrest or death on arrival.

"They may arrest me on my return, they may even kill me. Still, I have to go. My party leaders and workers are being subjected to tremendous repression. If death comes, I want it to come on my own soil, where my parents are buried and where their blood was shed,” she said in an interview to Reuters.

The 78-year-old said she would surrender herself and had asked party members to do the same.

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She said the party should not be suspended despite her conviction and inability to contest elections. "When a government works for a long time, mistakes can happen – no government is above error," she said. "But the right to judge the good and bad, the right and wrong of a government belongs to the people. I leave that judgment to the people."

Bangladesh continues diplomatic efforts to bring her back to face trial. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam said Dhaka was pursuing the repatriation process through diplomatic channels and that there was no deficiency in its efforts. The process began during the Muhammad Yunus-led interim regime and is now being followed by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led government.

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Hasina fled Bangladesh in 2024 after protests ended her 20 years as prime minister. In November, a war-crimes court sentenced her to death in absentia for ordering a crackdown on a student-led uprising. She denied the charges, calling them politically motivated, and said she had not consulted any foreign government about her return. She also said she had not been in touch with Dhaka regarding her plans.

This is the first time Hasina has publicly set a timetable for her return and surrender. Former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, who also faces a death sentence, is among those expected to return. Hasina did not specify an exact date or court for surrender but expressed confidence in proving the court's proceedings were farcical.

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Her return could deepen political divisions in Bangladesh as the government seeks stability after two years of unrest. It may also affect relations with India, which granted her refuge. Bangladesh has repeatedly requested India to extradite her. India has said it is examining the request and aims to engage constructively with Bangladesh's new government.

Shama Obaed Islam said the repatriation process was ongoing and must follow established protocols and international norms. She did not directly comment on India's cooperation or legal complications regarding Hasina's extradition. She dismissed Hasina's remarks as irrelevant to the legal and diplomatic process.