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

Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has announced that she plans to return to Bangladesh from her exile in India by December 2026, despite facing a death sentence in absentia, saying she and senior leaders of the Awami League will voluntarily surrender before the courts.

In an interview with Reuters, Hasina said she was prepared to face arrest or even death upon her return but believed it was her duty to stand with her party and the people of Bangladesh.

"They may arrest me on my return, they may even kill me. Still, I have to go," the 78-year-old leader said, adding that she wanted to return to the country where her parents were buried and where their "blood was shed."

Hasina fled Bangladesh in 2024 after a student-led uprising ended her long tenure in office. Later, a Bangladesh war crimes tribunal sentenced her to death in absentia over allegations related to a deadly crackdown on protesters, charges she has consistently denied as politically motivated.

She said several senior Awami League leaders, including former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, who also faces a death sentence, intend to return and surrender alongside her. According to Hasina, many party leaders and workers continue to face legal cases and persecution following the change in government.

Bangladesh has repeatedly requested India to extradite Hasina since she took refuge in the country. She, however, said she had not discussed her return plans with either the Indian or Bangladeshi governments and intended to return voluntarily.

Hasina said she believed judicial proceedings would expose what she described as the "farcical" nature of the cases against her and reaffirmed her commitment to continue the political struggle through democratic means. Her planned return is expected to have significant political implications for Bangladesh and could also influence Dhaka-New Delhi relations.