The former leader rejected the legitimacy of her 2025 trial for crimes against humanity, insisting she is prepared for imprisonment or death upon her arrival. Her banned Awami League party remains completely excluded from governance after political rival Tarique Rahman assumed power following Muhammad Yunus's interim leadership. She claimed that at least 20,000 party members have been killed and thousands more tortured since she was deposed, a crackdown partially echoed by rights groups criticizing the new administration's civil liberties record.
Key points
The exiled leader plans to travel back to Bangladesh without seeking protective assistanc…: The exiled leader plans to travel back to Bangladesh without seeking protective assistance from foreign governments.
Rights organizations have expressed ongoing concern regarding political suppressions and…: Rights organizations have expressed ongoing concern regarding political suppressions and the intimidation of minority communities under current governance.
Hasina's Awami League was entirely barred from contesting the recent elections that insta…: Hasina's Awami League was entirely barred from contesting the recent elections that installed her political opposition.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
“So, I will return to Bangladesh. That decision has not changed,” Hasina said (Photo: Reuters).
NEW DELHI: Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday reiterated her commitment to return to Dhaka in December despite a death sentence awaiting her return from India.“If death is my destiny, I would rather die on the soil of my own country, among my own people,” she told The Associated Press in response to questions by email.“So, I will return to Bangladesh. That decision has not changed,” Hasina said.The former leader has served as Prime Minister of Bangladesh for one term from 1996 to 2001 and four consecutive terms from 2009 to 2024.In 2024, Hasina sought asylum in New Delhi after a mass student-led uprising overthrew her government. In 2025, a Bangladeshi special tribunal ordered her death sentence for crimes against humanity. She was tried for ordering a crackdown that killed hundreds of protesters and left thousands injured. According to the United Nations data, cited by AP, nearly 1,400 were killed during the unrest.The former PM has denied wrongdoing, rejected the tribunal's verdict and…
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