Sheikh Hasina plans December return to Bangladesh, says she will surrender

Former Bangladesh Prime Minister and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted from her post following a violent student-led mass uprising in 2024, has said she and her senior party colleagues will return to the country from exile in India around December and surrender before the court. She faces a death sentence in Bangladesh for allegedly ordering a deadly crackdown on protesters, which, according to a UN report, led to 1400 people being killed.

Will return to Bangladesh

"They may arrest me on my return, they may even kill me," Hasina (78) told Reuters in an interview late on Thursday and into Friday.

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"Still, I have to go," said the Awami League chief, adding, "My party leaders and workers are being subjected to tremendous repression. If death comes, I want it to come on my own soil, where my parents are buried and where their blood was shed."

‘They want me back’

Elaborating further, Hasina said that the authorities in Dhaka want her back in the country, adding that they were repeatedly writing to the Indian government to send her back.

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“They want to take me back; they are repeatedly sending letters to India seeking to have me sent back", she said, adding, "I will go myself."

She urged Awami League leaders to do the same, adding that they would surrender together in court.

‘Ready to face trial’

"Cases have been filed against almost all of our leaders and workers, and many of them are in hiding. So I said that this time I am returning home, and one day, all of you should come. Altogether, we will all surrender in court,” said Hasina.

However, she refused to divulge the exact date of her return and surrender before the court, adding that once the proceedings commence, it would become clear to the people “how farcical” the court is.

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"I believe in justice, and ⁠I feel that once proceedings start, it will be clear to the people how farcical the court is — and that I want to prove it,” she said.

Hasina also said that she had been in touch with Dhaka over her plans to return to Bangladesh. "Democracy, voting rights, the political rights of the Awami League and justice are not subjects for secret talks,” she said, adding that she was not concerned about going to jail.

Defends Awami League

About her fleeing from Bangladesh during the student-led agitation, Hasina said that there were threats to her life as the protesters marched towards her residence.

"When a government works for a long ⁠time, mistakes can happen — no government is above error," she said.

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"But the right to judge the good and bad, the right and wrong of a government belongs to the people. I leave that judgment to the people,” added Hasina.

As for the decision to ban the Awami League from contesting elections, Hasina said, "They may have convicted me, and I may not be able to contest elections. But why should they suspend the Awami League? If we have done badly, let the people decide.”