Exiled Sheikh Hasina Says She Will Return to Bangladesh in December to Surrender

DHAKA: Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has announced that she plans to return to Bangladesh in December 2026 alongside senior leaders of her Awami League party to voluntarily surrender to the authorities, despite facing a death sentence in absentia and the prospect of arrest or even death upon her return.

Hasina, who has been living in exile in India since being ousted from power following a student-led uprising in 2024, said she was prepared to face the consequences of returning home. She stated that she would rather face justice in Bangladesh than remain abroad and acknowledged that she could be arrested or killed upon her arrival.

The former premier was sentenced to death by Bangladesh’s war crimes tribunal over allegations that she ordered a deadly crackdown on anti-government protests in 2024, in which about 1,400 people were reportedly killed. Hasina has rejected the charges, describing the verdict as politically motivated and insisting that the Bangladeshi people should judge her government’s actions.

Hasina also said the Awami League, which has been banned by the current authorities, is continuing efforts to reorganize despite mounting pressure on its members. According to her, the party has been holding virtual meetings and rebuilding its organizational structure across 125 parliamentary constituencies in preparation for its political future.

Neither the Bangladeshi government nor the Indian government immediately commented on Hasina’s announcement. Her planned return is expected to heighten political tensions in Bangladesh, while potentially influencing diplomatic relations between Dhaka and New Delhi, which have been strained since her removal from office.