Former prime minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, who is currently taking shelter in India, will be returning to her home country in December along with senior leaders of her Awami League to surrender voluntarily, reports suggest. Hasina is facing a death sentence in absentia by a Bangladeshi court following her brutal, deadly crackdown orders during the August 2024 student-led Gen-Z protest, which ousted her government from the power. The war-crimes court found her guilty of crimes against humanity.
It is learnt that Hasina said she is ready to face arrest, or even death, upon her return to Bangladesh.
Hasina said her decision to return to Bangladesh was intended to let the people of her home country judge her government’s record directly, rather than leaving it to her political opponents. Making a statement during an interview, Hasina accused the current Bangladesh government of targeting her Awami League party. She added that the party is reorganising itself through virtual meetings across parliamentary constituencies, despite ongoing restrictions on its activities.
Hasina fled to India after her government was ousted in a mass uprising in 2024. The protest reportedly killed around 1,400 people. She has consistently denied the charges, calling them politically motivated.
Her planned return is expected to sharply increase political tensions in Bangladesh, where the Awami League continues to face pressure following its removal from power.
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