NEW DELHI, July 10— Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has announced plans to return to Bangladesh around December with senior leaders of her Awami League party to voluntarily surrender before a court, despite facing a death sentence and the possibility of arrest upon arrival.
In an exclusive interview with Reuters, the 78-year-old former leader said she was determined to return to her homeland after nearly two years in exile in India, where she fled following the collapse of her government in 2024.
“They may arrest me on my return, they may even kill me. Still, I have to go,” Hasina said, adding that she wanted to face whatever awaited her in Bangladesh rather than remain abroad.
Hasina said Awami League leaders who also left the country after the political upheaval would return alongside her and collectively surrender before the courts. She did not specify an exact date for the planned return or identify the court where they would appear.
The former prime minister said she had not held discussions with either the Bangladeshi or Indian governments regarding her return. According to Hasina, Bangladesh has repeatedly sought her extradition from India, but she intends to return voluntarily.
“I will go myself,” she said, stressing that issues concerning democracy, political rights and justice should not be resolved through behind-the-scenes negotiations.
Hasina was convicted in absentia and sentenced to death by Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal in November over her alleged role in the deadly crackdown on anti-government protests in 2024. She has consistently denied the charges, describing the proceedings as politically motivated.
The Awami League, which governed Bangladesh for most of the past two decades, remains banned, while many of its leaders and activists face criminal cases or remain in hiding, according to Hasina.
She called for the ban on the party to be lifted, arguing that voters—not the courts or the government—should determine its political future.
“If we have done badly, let the people decide,” she said.
Hasina also revealed that she has been holding online meetings covering 125 of Bangladesh’s 300 parliamentary constituencies as part of efforts to reorganize the Awami League from exile.
The Bangladeshi government did not immediately comment on Hasina’s remarks, while India’s Ministry of External Affairs also did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment. Earlier this year, New Delhi said it was reviewing Bangladesh’s extradition request while seeking to maintain constructive relations with the interim government in Dhaka.
Hasina, Bangladesh’s longest-serving prime minister, ruled the country for two decades across multiple terms before being ousted following a student-led uprising in 2024. Her planned return is expected to have significant political and legal implications as Bangladesh continues to navigate a deeply polarized political landscape.
