‘I May Be Killed or Arrested, But My People Are...’: Hasina Vows To Return To Bangladesh Despite Life Threats

New Delhi: Bangladesh’s fugitive former prime minister Sheikh Hasina has declared she is determined to return home by December, even as she acknowledges the risk of death, arrest, or imprisonment.

“I may be killed. I may be arrested. I may be sent to prison,” the 78-year-old told AFP in an emailed response. “I am fully aware of my fate. Still, I want to go back because my people are calling me,” she said.

Hasina was toppled in August 2024 after a student-led uprising ended her 15-year rule. She fled by helicopter to India as protesters stormed her palace. The United Nations estimates up to 1,400 people were killed during the crackdown as her government tried to retain power.

In November, a Dhaka court convicted her of crimes against humanity and sentenced her to death in absentia, a ruling she has dismissed as “political vengeance dressed up as law.”

Hasina, who has been living in a secret location in India, insisted there is no external pressure influencing her decision to return. “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,” she said.

Dhaka has formally requested her extradition, a request India says is under examination. Relations between the two neighbours have stabilised since Prime Minister Tarique Rahman took office in February.

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

Defence of record

Hasina’s administration has been accused of serious abuses, including the murder of political rivals, suppression of opposition, and rigged elections. Hasina rejected many of the allegations as “politically constructed campaigns.”

She defended her government’s handling of the protests that led to her ouster, saying it “showed the highest level of patience and tried to guide the student movement towards a peaceful solution.” She described the uprising as “a planned operation driven by hidden instructions, organised violence, propaganda and the objective of overthrowing the government.”

She expressed sympathy for families who lost loved ones but stopped short of an apology and declined to say whether she regretted any decisions made during the crisis.

“Decisions of state are not made by one person alone, and they cannot be judged honestly by isolating one moment from the whole crisis,” she said.

On her political future, Hasina, whose Awami League party is effectively banned, offered only: “Power is not my destination. Service to the people is.”

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