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In her latest interview, Sheikh Hasina has vowed to return to Bangladesh this year.
Ousted Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina
Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has made her boldest political declaration since fleeing Dhaka nearly two years ago. “I don’t fear death,” the 78-year-old said in an interview, while vowing to return to Bangladesh before the end of this year despite facing a death sentence and multiple criminal cases. Calling the verdict against her politically motivated, Hasina insisted that no conspiracy would stop her from going back home.
The statement has immediately reignited speculation over whether the woman who dominated Bangladeshi politics for over 15 years is preparing for a political comeback – or walking into certain arrest.
Hasina has been in India since August 2024, when months of student-led protests spiralled into nationwide unrest, eventually forcing her government from power.
The demonstrations, which initially began over a controversial quota system for government jobs, soon evolved into a broader movement against her administration. As violence intensified and security forces struggled to regain control, Hasina left Bangladesh, ending one of the longest uninterrupted tenures by any South Asian leader.
Since then, Bangladesh’s political landscape has changed dramatically.
The interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus eventually gave way to a new elected government, while Hasina’s Bangladesh Awami League has remained under severe political and legal pressure.
Why Is Sheikh Hasina Facing A Death Sentence?
Following her departure, Bangladeshi authorities initiated multiple investigations into the violent crackdown on protesters during the final months of her government.
Last year, Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal convicted Hasina in absentia over charges linked to the killings during the 2024 unrest and sentenced her to death. She has dismissed the proceedings as illegal, unconstitutional and politically driven, accusing the judiciary of being used to eliminate the Awami League’s leadership.
Apart from the tribunal case, she also faces several other criminal investigations and corruption-related proceedings in Bangladesh.
Can Sheikh Hasina Return To Bangladesh?
There is no physical barrier preventing Hasina from travelling back to Bangladesh if she chooses to do so. She holds Bangladeshi citizenship and has publicly declared that returning is her political mission. The bigger question is not whether she can board a flight, but whether she would remain free after landing.
Given the existing court verdicts and pending legal proceedings, Bangladeshi authorities could move swiftly to detain her upon arrival, unless courts intervene or the government takes a different political decision. The exact legal process would depend on the status of warrants and appeals at the time of her return.
The Bangladesh Landscape Today
Bangladesh today is no longer under the interim administration that took charge after Hasina’s ouster.
Following the country’s first general election since the 2024 uprising, the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) swept to power in February 2026. Its acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, returned from years of exile in London to become Bangladesh’s Prime Minister, ending the Awami League’s nearly 17-year dominance of the country’s politics.
The election marked one of the biggest political reversals in Bangladesh’s history. While the Awami League had ruled almost uninterrupted since 2009 under Sheikh Hasina, the party now finds itself banned from political activities and fighting for its political survival.
Tarique Rahman vs Sheikh Hasina: A Rivalry Decades In The Making
For nearly three decades, Bangladesh’s politics has revolved around two rival camps. On one side is the Awami League, founded by Hasina’s father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country’s founding leader. On the other is the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), established by former military ruler and President Ziaur Rahman.
The rivalry later became intensely personal between Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman’s mother and a two-time prime minister. The two leaders alternated in power through the 1990s and early 2000s, with each accusing the other of corruption, authoritarianism and undermining democracy.
As Khaleda Zia’s health declined and legal troubles mounted, Tarique Rahman gradually emerged as the BNP’s principal leader. Like Hasina, he too spent years outside Bangladesh while facing multiple criminal cases, which he consistently described as politically motivated. After the fall of Hasina’s government, those cases were either overturned or lost significance, allowing him to return home ahead of the 2026 election.
Ironically, Bangladesh’s current prime minister is someone who, until recently, was himself an exiled opposition politician.
Why Hasina’s Return Would Be Politically Explosive
If Hasina returns, Bangladesh would witness something unprecedented: the country’s most powerful political family confronting a government led by its oldest rival. For the BNP, arresting Hasina would reinforce its promise of accountability for the deaths and alleged abuses committed during the 2024 crackdown.
For the Awami League, however, any arrest would almost certainly be portrayed as political revenge designed to permanently eliminate the party from Bangladesh’s political landscape.
Hasina herself has repeatedly argued that the legal proceedings against her are intended to destroy the Awami League rather than deliver justice. The BNP government, on the other hand, maintains that the cases are part of ensuring accountability for alleged crimes committed during her tenure.
What Could Happen If She Returns?
Immediate arrest
The most likely outcome is that authorities arrest Hasina soon after she enters Bangladesh, given the convictions and pending cases against her.
Fresh legal battle
Her lawyers could challenge the verdicts, seek retrials or appeal against the sentences. Since some proceedings have taken place in absentia, legal arguments over due process are expected to become central.
Political mobilisation
Despite the ban and pressure on the Awami League, Hasina continues to claim that her party remains deeply rooted in Bangladesh. Her return could energise supporters and trigger demonstrations, while equally provoking strong opposition from rival political groups.
Heightened security concerns
Bangladesh has already witnessed periodic deployment of security forces amid fears of clashes involving Awami League supporters. Any announcement of Hasina’s arrival could significantly raise tensions across the country.
Is This Just Political Messaging?
Political leaders in exile often use promises of returning home to reassure supporters that they remain active despite being out of power.
Hasina herself suggested that her absence should not be mistaken for silence, portraying her planned return as part of a broader effort to restore democracy, political rights and what she described as the ideals of Bangladesh’s 1971 Liberation War.
Whether she ultimately returns this year may depend not only on her personal decision but also on legal developments, security assessments and the evolving political climate in Bangladesh.
Why The Stakes Are So High
For Bangladesh, Hasina’s return would be much more than the homecoming of a former prime minister. It would test the country’s judicial process, its political stability and its democratic institutions at a time when the nation remains deeply polarised after the upheaval of 2024.
For India, which has hosted Hasina since her departure, the move would also carry diplomatic significance, given New Delhi’s delicate relationship with successive governments in Dhaka.
Whether Sheikh Hasina returns as a political challenger, a defendant in court, or both, her arrival would mark one of the most consequential moments in Bangladesh’s post-2024 political history.
About the Author
Pragati is a News Editor at news18.com. Having headed the Business and Viral sections, Pragati now ideates, writes and edits long-form features and articles on national and global affairs. She ensures…Read More
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