‘If death is my destiny’: Sheikh Hasina firm on returning to Bangladesh in December
Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has reaffirmed her intention to return to Bangladesh in December, despite facing a death sentence for crimes against humanity. She remains in India, where her extradition request is currently being legally reviewed.
Why it matters
Hasina's potential return poses a significant geopolitical challenge for India and could trigger further instability in Bangladesh.
NEW DELHI: Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday reiterated her commitment to return to Dhaka in December despite a death sentence awaiting her return from India.“If death is my destiny, I would rather die on the soil of my own country, among my own people,” she told The Associated Press in response to questions by email.“So, I will return to Bangladesh. That decision has not changed,” Hasina said.The former leader has served as Prime Minister of Bangladesh for one term from 1996 to 2001 and four consecutive terms from 2009 to 2024.In 2024, Hasina sought asylum in New Delhi after a mass student-led uprising overthrew her government. In 2025, a Bangladeshi special tribunal ordered her death sentence for crimes against humanity. She was tried for ordering a crackdown that killed hundreds of protesters and left thousands injured.
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