Sheikh Hasina vows return to Bangladesh despite death fears

Bangladesh's fugitive former prime minister Sheikh Hasina said she was determined to return to Bangladesh by December despite fearing she could be killed, arrested or imprisoned.

“I may be killed. I may be arrested. I may be sent to prison,” Hasina, 78, said in emailed responses to AFP questions. “I am fully aware of my fate. Still, I want to go back because my people are calling me.”

Hasina was toppled in August 2024 by a student-led uprising that ended her 15-year rule. She fled by helicopter to India as crowds stormed her palace. The United Nations says up to 1,400 people were killed in crackdowns as Hasina tried to cling to power.

In November, a Dhaka court found Hasina guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced her to be hanged. Hasina described the verdict as “political vengeance dressed up as law.”

Hasina has been living in a secret location in India. She said there was no pressure for her to return and that Dhaka's extradition request had “no connection” with her decision. “I can say that I am staying in India with due respect and dignity,” she said. “Indian authorities have not discussed extradition with me. I myself have decided to return to my country.”

Relations between India and Bangladesh, strained under the interim administration that took power after Hasina's fall, have stabilised since Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman took office in February. Dhaka has formally requested Hasina's extradition, a request New Delhi has said is under examination.

The Bangladeshi government has said it will ensure Hasina receives due legal process in all cases against her if she returns.

Rights groups have long accused Hasina's former administration of abuses including the murder of rivals, suppression of opposition parties, rigged courts and one-sided elections. Hasina defended her record, saying many allegations were “politically constructed campaigns” and that investigations were opened when allegations were made.

Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday that Bangladeshi authorities were failing to uphold international legal standards. Meenakshi Ganguly, the group's deputy Asia director, said people responsible for abuses under Hasina's government should be held to account, but that many prosecutions were falling short of international fair trial standards.

Hasina rejected allegations that she sanctioned excessive force during the student protests, saying her government showed patience and tried to guide the movement towards a peaceful solution. She described the uprising as a planned operation driven by hidden instructions, organised violence, propaganda and the aim of overthrowing the government.

Hasina did not directly answer whether she planned to resume political activity after returning, with her Awami League party effectively banned in Bangladesh. “Power is not my destination. Service to the people is,” she said.

She said she had sympathy for every family that lost a loved one, but stopped short of offering an apology. She also sidestepped questions about whether she regretted decisions made during the uprising.