Ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has declared her intention to return to Bangladesh this year, dismissing a death sentence handed down in absentia as an act of political vengeance. In her first timeline for a comeback since fleeing to India, the 78-year-old leader struck a defiant tone, framing her return as a mission to salvage the nation’s democratic foundations.
Hasina, who sought refuge in New Delhi after a student-led uprising toppled her government in August 2024, told Indian broadcaster NDTV that she would not be intimidated by the verdict. A Dhaka court sentenced her to death last November, convicting her of inciting violence and failing to prevent atrocities during the unrest that ended her 15-year rule.
A Battle for Bangladesh’s Political Soul
“I want to say clearly: overcoming every obstacle and every conspiracy, I will return to my country this year,” Hasina said, brushing aside the risk of imprisonment or execution. She denounced the proceedings as “illegal, unconstitutional and politically motivated,” accusing the judiciary of being weaponized to dismantle her Awami League party.
The former premier insisted her motivation was not personal power but a broader struggle to restore political rights, the rule of law, and the spirit of the 1971 Liberation War. “I do not fear death,” she added, pointing to what she called a history of failed attempts to erase her party’s influence.
Awami League Under Siege
Despite a ban on its activities—first imposed by an interim administration and maintained under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s government, which took office after February elections—Hasina described the Awami League an indelible force. “It is not a paper organisation but a political force rooted in the soil of Bengal, in the people of Bengal, in the history of Bengal and in the identity of the Bengali nation,” she said.
She called on the Rahman-led government to restore what she termed a proper democratic environment demanding the ban be lifted, what she described as false cases against party leaders be withdrawn, prisoners be released, and peaceful political activity be permitted.
Government Defends Legal Actions
The government has defended the legal proceedings, stating they are essential to ensuring accountability for alleged crimes committed during the final months of Hasina’s administration. The standoff sets the stage for a dramatic political confrontation, with Hasina’s promised return threatening to deepen divisions in a nation still grappling with the aftermath of the uprising.
