They might kill me: Sheikh Hasina says she'll return to Bangladesh, surrender in December
Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said she and her Awami League colleagues would return to their home country in December and surrender to the authorities. Declaring that "they might kill me", Hasina said she would return from India.
Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was sentenced to death back home by a tribunal, has said that she and senior leaders of her now-outlawed Awami League plan to return from exile in India around December and surrender before the courts. Hasina added that she faced a risk to her life but would nevertheless return to her home country.
Hasina has been living in India since August 5, 2024, when she had to leave Bangladesh after weeks of anti-government protests, backed by Islamist elements. The protests turned deadly, and she was advised by the army chief to leave Bangladesh for her own safety.
She has been sentenced to death in absentia by Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal in November 2025 over her alleged role in the crackdown on the 2024 student-led protests. She has denied the charges.
In an interview with news agency Reuters, Hasina said she was prepared to be arrested or even killed but wanted to return to her homeland.
Her remarks came even as Dhaka continues to seek her extradition from India.
HASINA SAYS SHE WILL RETURN DESPITE DEATH SENTENCE
Speaking to Reuters in a nearly hour-long telephone interview, Hasina said she and senior Awami League colleagues intended to return to Bangladesh around December and surrender before the courts.
"They may arrest me on my return, they may even kill me," the 78-year-old leader said.
"Still, I have to go. 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," Hasina added.
This comes weeks after Hasina told a news outlet that she would return to Bangladesh. And the statement to Reuters is the first time Hasina has publicly set out a timeline for her return or said that other senior Awami League leaders would also "surrender".
Among those expected to return is former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, who also faces a death sentence, reported Reuters.
HASINA IS LIVING IN INDIA SINCE SHE FLED BANGLADESH
Hasina fled Bangladesh in August 2024 after a student-led mass uprising ended her two-decade rule as prime minister across multiple terms.
She has since been living in India after New Delhi provided her refuge. The move significantly strained ties between India and Bangladesh.
Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal later sentenced Hasina to death in absentia in November 2025 over the crackdown on anti-government protests. Hasina has consistently denied the allegations of excesses.
Dhaka, first under the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus and now under the BNP government headed by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, has repeatedly requested India to extradite Hasina.
Hasina told Reuters she had not consulted any foreign government about her return.
BANGLADESH GOVT REPEATEDLY SENDING LETTERS TO INDIA: HASINA
"The authorities in Dhaka want to take me back, they are repeatedly sending letters to India seeking to have me sent back," she said.
"I will go myself," she added.
India's Ministry of External Affairs has said it was examining Bangladesh's extradition request while seeking to engage constructively with the government in Dhaka.
"The request is being examined as part of ongoing judicial and internal legal processes. We will continue to engage constructively on the issue with all stakeholders... I would like to emphasise that the External Affairs Minister reiterated India's desire to engage constructively with the new government and further strengthen bilateral ties," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in April on being asked about Bangladesh raising the issue of Sheikh Hasina's extradition.
"Both sides agreed to explore proposals to deepen the partnership through relevant bilateral mechanisms. Follow-up official meetings are expected soon, and views were also exchanged on regional and global issues of mutual interest," he added.
I BELIEVE IN JUSTICE, SAYS SHEIKH HASINA
Hasina said she intended to surrender because she believed the legal proceedings would expose what she described as politically motivated cases.
"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 told Reuters.
She declined to specify the exact date of her return or which court she intended to surrender before.
Hasina also said she was not worried about imprisonment, noting that she had been jailed several times earlier in her political career, including during Bangladesh's military-backed caretaker government in 2007 before returning to power after the 2008 elections.
She said she had been holding online meetings covering 125 of Bangladesh's 300 parliamentary constituencies as part of efforts to reorganise the Awami League, which was banned by the interim administration of Muhammad Yunus.
Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was sentenced to death back home by a tribunal, has said that she and senior leaders of her now-outlawed Awami League plan to return from exile in India around December and surrender before the courts. Hasina added that she faced a risk to her life but would nevertheless return to her home country.
Hasina has been living in India since August 5, 2024, when she had to leave Bangladesh after weeks of anti-government protests, backed by Islamist elements. The protests turned deadly, and she was advised by the army chief to leave Bangladesh for her own safety.
She has been sentenced to death in absentia by Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal in November 2025 over her alleged role in the crackdown on the 2024 student-led protests. She has denied the charges.
In an interview with news agency Reuters, Hasina said she was prepared to be arrested or even killed but wanted to return to her homeland.
Her remarks came even as Dhaka continues to seek her extradition from India.
HASINA SAYS SHE WILL RETURN DESPITE DEATH SENTENCE
Speaking to Reuters in a nearly hour-long telephone interview, Hasina said she and senior Awami League colleagues intended to return to Bangladesh around December and surrender before the courts.
"They may arrest me on my return, they may even kill me," the 78-year-old leader said.
"Still, I have to go. 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," Hasina added.
This comes weeks after Hasina told a news outlet that she would return to Bangladesh. And the statement to Reuters is the first time Hasina has publicly set out a timeline for her return or said that other senior Awami League leaders would also "surrender".
Among those expected to return is former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, who also faces a death sentence, reported Reuters.
HASINA IS LIVING IN INDIA SINCE SHE FLED BANGLADESH
Hasina fled Bangladesh in August 2024 after a student-led mass uprising ended her two-decade rule as prime minister across multiple terms.
She has since been living in India after New Delhi provided her refuge. The move significantly strained ties between India and Bangladesh.
Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal later sentenced Hasina to death in absentia in November 2025 over the crackdown on anti-government protests. Hasina has consistently denied the allegations of excesses.
Dhaka, first under the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus and now under the BNP government headed by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, has repeatedly requested India to extradite Hasina.
Hasina told Reuters she had not consulted any foreign government about her return.
BANGLADESH GOVT REPEATEDLY SENDING LETTERS TO INDIA: HASINA
"The authorities in Dhaka want to take me back, they are repeatedly sending letters to India seeking to have me sent back," she said.
"I will go myself," she added.
India's Ministry of External Affairs has said it was examining Bangladesh's extradition request while seeking to engage constructively with the government in Dhaka.
"The request is being examined as part of ongoing judicial and internal legal processes. We will continue to engage constructively on the issue with all stakeholders... I would like to emphasise that the External Affairs Minister reiterated India's desire to engage constructively with the new government and further strengthen bilateral ties," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in April on being asked about Bangladesh raising the issue of Sheikh Hasina's extradition.
"Both sides agreed to explore proposals to deepen the partnership through relevant bilateral mechanisms. Follow-up official meetings are expected soon, and views were also exchanged on regional and global issues of mutual interest," he added.
I BELIEVE IN JUSTICE, SAYS SHEIKH HASINA
Hasina said she intended to surrender because she believed the legal proceedings would expose what she described as politically motivated cases.
"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 told Reuters.
She declined to specify the exact date of her return or which court she intended to surrender before.
Hasina also said she was not worried about imprisonment, noting that she had been jailed several times earlier in her political career, including during Bangladesh's military-backed caretaker government in 2007 before returning to power after the 2008 elections.
She said she had been holding online meetings covering 125 of Bangladesh's 300 parliamentary constituencies as part of efforts to reorganise the Awami League, which was banned by the interim administration of Muhammad Yunus.
