Sheikh Hasina Vows Return to Bangladesh Despite Death Sentence, Faces Standoff With Tarique Rahman Government

NEW DELHI — Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has reaffirmed that she will return to Bangladesh this year despite facing a death sentence, saying she is not afraid of death and dismissing the verdict as politically motivated.

Hasina, 78, has lived in exile in India since August 2024, when a student-led uprising ended her 15-year rule. In November 2025, a special war-crimes tribunal in Dhaka sentenced her to death in absentia for inciting and failing to prevent killings during the 2024 crackdown on protesters, in which the United Nations said around 1,400 people died.

Tarique Rahman Government's Response

Bangladesh's government, now led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman after his party's landslide election victory in February, has said it welcomes Hasina's announced return but insists she must face justice. A senior advisor to Rahman challenged Hasina to bring the world's best lawyers to defend herself, adding that the public wants her death sentence carried out. Bangladesh's state minister for foreign affairs said Hasina will be jailed if she surrenders, calling her a convicted criminal.

India's Position

India has treated Bangladesh's extradition request as a legal matter without committing to a timeline. Relations between the two countries have shown signs of improvement since February, when Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri attended Tarique Rahman's inauguration, followed by a visit to New Delhi by Bangladesh's foreign minister in April. However, the extradition issue remains a persistent source of friction.

Deal or Political Gamble?

Speculation continues over whether Hasina's return is linked to any understanding with the Rahman government, though no such arrangement has been officially confirmed. Awami League supporters say they are ready to welcome their leader back and revive the banned party, while critics describe her announcement as an attempt to mobilize exiled party leaders and activists. Whether the move reflects a negotiated deal or Hasina's biggest political gamble remains unclear, but her return is expected to significantly reshape Bangladesh's political landscape.