'Would rather die in my own country than watch my people suffer': Hasina vows to return to Bangladesh in December

Former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina has reiterated that her decision to return to Bangladesh in December remains unchanged, saying she would rather die in her own country, among her own people, if death is her destiny.

“If death is my destiny, I would rather die on the soil of my own country, among my own people. So, I will return to Bangladesh. That decision has not changed,” she said.

Hasina also said she did not need the blessing of a foreign power to return home.

“I value friendship and cooperation with all nations. That has always been our (Bangladesh's) foreign policy. But I do not need the blessing of a foreign power to return to my own country,” she said.

While reaffirming her decision, she added, “I know that I may be arrested when I return. I may be imprisoned, tortured or even killed. I am fully aware of those possibilities. But I cannot spend the rest of my life watching my people suffer from a distance.” 

Hasina has been living in India since leaving Dhaka on August 5, 2024, following weeks of student-led protests that ended her 15-year rule. In August, she announced her intention to return in December, the month Bangladesh marks its victory in the 1971 Liberation War.

Death sentence over 2024 crackdown

Her proposed return comes after Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal sentenced her to death in her absence in November 2025, finding her responsible for crimes against humanity during the crackdown on protesters that preceded her ouster.

Hasina has denied wrongdoing and disputed the verdict and the fairness of the proceedings.

The protests began over quotas in government employment before turning into a wider movement against her administration. A United Nations human rights investigation estimated that as many as 1,400 people may have been killed during the July-August 2024 unrest and described serious violations by security forces and elements linked to the Awami League.

Bangladesh has repeatedly sought Hasina's extradition from India, but New Delhi has not handed her over. No arrangements for her proposed voluntary return have been announced.

Political developments after Hasina's ouster

Following Hasina's departure, an interim administration headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took office. Parliamentary elections were subsequently held on February 12, 2026, with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party winning a majority.

BNP leader Tarique Rahman became prime minister on February 17. The Awami League was barred from contesting the election and continues to face restrictions. The government has maintained that arrests are linked to specific criminal charges.

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