By Obnews Editorial Staff
Ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has announced that she intends to return to Bangladesh in December 2026, despite facing a death sentence and the possibility of immediate arrest. Her remarks during a New Delhi media event have triggered a forceful response from Dhaka and created another diplomatic challenge for India.
Hasina delivered an audio address on August 5 during an event hosted by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia. Although she had been expected to appear by video, she spoke from behind a blank screen. The event marked the second anniversary of the student led uprising that ended her government and forced her to flee Bangladesh.
“Whatever fate awaits me, I will return to my people,” Hasina declared. She said she understood that she could be imprisoned or killed after returning but insisted that concerns about her personal safety would not prevent her from going home. She did not provide an exact date or disclose how the return would be arranged.
Hasina selected December because it is celebrated as Bangladesh’s month of victory, commemorating the country’s independence from Pakistan in 1971. She demanded that the ban on her Awami League party be lifted and called for the release of jailed party members and other people she described as political prisoners.
During the media interaction reported by Reuters, Hasina rejected the criminal proceedings against her as fabricated and politically motivated. She also accused the current government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman of repressing Awami League supporters and reversing Bangladesh’s economic progress. Those claims were not independently verified.
Hasina fled Dhaka for India in August 2024 as weeks of protests and violence brought her long period in power to an end. A subsequent United Nations investigation estimated that as many as 1,400 people may have been killed between July 15 and August 5, 2024. The UN found reasonable grounds to believe that serious and systematic human rights violations were committed by the former government and associated security forces.
In November 2025, Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal sentenced Hasina to death in her absence for crimes against humanity connected to the deadly crackdown. Hasina has rejected the verdict and denied responsibility for the allegations against her.
Bangladesh has repeatedly requested Hasina’s extradition from India under the two countries’ extradition arrangements. New Delhi has acknowledged receiving the request and says it is being examined through the appropriate legal process. India has not transferred her to Bangladeshi custody.
Bangladesh’s foreign ministry reacted angrily to the August 5 event, calling Hasina’s participation an affront to the country’s sovereignty and an insult to those killed during the uprising. Dhaka referred to her as a convicted fugitive, accused her and her supporters of directing hostile rhetoric toward Bangladesh and renewed its demand for her extradition.
The Bangladeshi government also warned that permitting Hasina to conduct political activities from Indian territory could damage attempts to improve bilateral relations. Authorities had previously instructed Bangladeshi media organizations not to broadcast or publish her statements, citing a 2024 tribunal order restricting the distribution of her speeches and messages.
India publicly separated itself from the event. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said it had been arranged by a private media organization and that the Indian government had no involvement in it. He added that New Delhi did not endorse any of the political views expressed at the forum.
Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, also appeared at the event and praised India for providing his mother with security and respectful treatment. His comments attracted additional criticism in Bangladesh, where the government views Hasina’s continued presence and political activity in India as a barrier to rebuilding relations.
India and Bangladesh share extensive historical, economic and security connections. Relations were particularly close during Hasina’s government, which cooperated with New Delhi on trade, transportation, border security and regional militancy. Her removal changed that political balance and brought unresolved disagreements over water sharing, border incidents, trade and political influence back into focus.
Hasina’s proposed return could create a major political and legal confrontation. She would face detention and enforcement of the judgment against her, while supporters of the Awami League could view her arrival as an attempt to revive the banned party. The exact conditions under which she could return remain unclear.
The speech has therefore become more than a declaration of personal intent. It has placed Hasina’s future at the centre of India Bangladesh relations and forced New Delhi to balance its treatment of a former regional ally against its need to maintain a functional relationship with Bangladesh’s current elected government.