Former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who has been living in India since being removed from power in August 2024, has said she is determined to return to her country by December despite knowing that she could face arrest, imprisonment or even death.
Event Context
In an interview with news agency AFP, Hasina said she was aware of the risks but insisted that her decision was driven by what she described as a call from her people.
“I may be killed. I may be arrested. I may be sent to prison,” Hasina, 78, said in an emailed response to questions by news agency AFP. “I am fully aware of my fate. Still, I want to go back because my people are calling me.”
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The United Nations has said that up to 1,400 people were killed during the crackdown as Hasina’s government attempted to remain in power. In November, a Dhaka court convicted her of crimes against humanity and sentenced her to be hanged. Hasina rejected the verdict, calling it “political vengeance dressed up as law”.
Despite the legal action against her, Hasina said there was no external pressure behind her decision to return. She said her stay in India had been respectful and dignified and that Indian authorities had not discussed extradition with her.
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“I can say that I am staying in India with due respect and dignity,” she said. “Indian authorities have not discussed extradition with me. I myself have decided to return to my country.”
The interim administration in Bangladesh has formally sought Hasina’s extradition from India, with New Delhi saying the request is “under examination”.
Relations between India and Bangladesh, which had become strained after Hasina’s removal, have stabilised since Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman took office in February.
However, Hasina maintained that her return decision was unrelated to the extradition issue.
Team Analysis
Hasina fled Bangladesh in August 2024 after a student-led uprising brought an end to her 15-year rule. She left the country by helicopter and moved to India after protesters stormed her official residence.
Rights groups have accused Hasina’s former government of several abuses, including targeting political opponents, suppressing opposition parties, influencing courts and holding one-sided elections.
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Hasina rejected these allegations, describing them as “politically constructed campaigns”. She said investigations were conducted whenever allegations emerged and that those responsible for crimes were brought to justice.
“My government showed the highest level of patience and tried to guide the student movement towards a peaceful solution,” she said, rejecting claims that she authorised excessive force during the protests that eventually led to her ouster.
She also argued that the uprising was not just a student protest but a wider effort involving organised violence and political planning.
“It had become a planned operation driven by hidden instructions, organised violence, propaganda and the objective of overthrowing the government,” she said.
Asked whether she would return to active politics after coming back, especially as her Awami League party remains effectively banned in Bangladesh, Hasina did not give a direct response.
Instead, she said her focus was serving people rather than seeking power.
“Power is not my destination. Service to the people is.”
Hasina expressed sympathy for families who lost loved ones during the unrest but stopped short of apologising. She also avoided directly answering whether she regretted any decisions taken during the crisis.
Match Outlook
“Decisions of state are not made by one person alone, and they cannot be judged honestly by isolating one moment from the whole crisis,” she said.
(With inputs from AFP)
