Ousted Bangladesh Leader Sheikh Hasina Says She Will Return Home in December

Sheikh Hasina alleges that 20,000 members of her political party have been killed since August 2024, a figure she cited in an interview with The Associated Press. The former prime minister told the news agency via email on Wednesday that she is committed to returning to Bangladesh from exile in India in December. She has not specified how she will make the journey.

Hasina fled to India in 2024 after student-led protests forced her from power. She served as prime minister from 2009 to 2024. A special tribunal in Bangladesh sentenced her to death in 2025 for crimes against humanity related to the government's crackdown on protesters. The tribunal ruled that she ordered the violence. The United Nations reported that nearly 1,400 people were killed during the unrest. Hasina rejects the verdict and questions the trial's legitimacy.

In the interview, Hasina said, “If death is my destiny, I would rather die on the soil of my own country, among my own people.” She added that she is aware she may be arrested, imprisoned, tortured, or killed upon her return. “I cannot spend the rest of my life watching my people suffer from a distance,” she wrote. Bangladesh has sought her extradition multiple times, but India has declined to hand her over. Hasina first announced her intention to return in August.

After Hasina was ousted, Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, led an interim administration for 18 months. In February, Tarique Rahman won a landslide election under Yunus' administration. Rahman is the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and a longtime rival of Hasina. Her Awami League party was barred from running candidates in that vote. The party remains banned, and senior leaders are either in prison or exile.

Hasina described the current political environment as abnormal, accusing authorities of systematically suppressing her party. She stated that supporters have lost homes, businesses, and livelihoods because of their political ties. Human Rights Watch and other groups have criticized Rahman's government for assaults on civil rights. The government states that the arrests involve specific charges. Hasina said she does not seek the blessing of foreign powers to return, noting that she values cooperation with all nations.

The former leader expressed concern about the growing influence of hard-liners in Bangladesh. She said the present political environment has allowed extremist elements to become more confident. Her 15-year tenure was marked by a tough stance against such groups. Global rights groups and independent observers had previously expressed concern about the rise of radical forces during the interim period. The Yunus-led government denied those allegations, and the current government faces criticism for a deteriorating law and order situation.

The Press Wing of the prime minister’s office did not respond to a request for comment. Hasina's return is scheduled for next month. She remains in India, where she has lived since her ouster. Her decision to return stands despite the death sentence and the ongoing political ban on her party.