Sheikh Hasina, the 78-year-old former prime minister of Bangladesh, announced on August 5, 2026, that she will return to Bangladesh in December despite a death sentence issued against her in absentia last year [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Hasina spoke in a public audio address from New Delhi, where she has lived in exile since fleeing Bangladesh following a student-led uprising in August 2024 that forced her ouster [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6].
The 2024 protests began as demonstrations against government job quotas and escalated into a nationwide mass uprising [1, 2, 3, 5, 6]. The crackdown on protesters by security forces led to an estimated 1,400 deaths according to UN figures, although Hasina's supporters claim the toll was closer to 800 [s1,s3,s6,s7,s8; s2].
In November 2025, a special tribunal in Bangladesh sentenced Hasina to death for crimes against humanity related to the 2024 protests crackdown [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Hasina has denied all charges, calling the verdict politically motivated and illegal [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. In her address, she acknowledged the risks of arrest, imprisonment, or execution if she returns, saying, "I know that they may put me in jail or they may kill me, anything may happen, but still I have to go back" [1, 2, 4, 5]. She emphasized her decision is about duty, not personal ambition [4].
After fleeing Bangladesh in summer 2024 amid violent unrest and the storming of government buildings, Hasina has lived under tight security in India [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Her son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, said she is treated with respect and full head-of-state security, adding, "Prime minister Modi’s government has shown her the utmost respect, and for that I am eternally grateful" [2, 7, 6]. India denies organizing or endorsing her speech and has resisted Bangladesh's extradition requests [1, 2, 3, 5, 6].
Earlier this year in February, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman, came to power after elections that barred Hasina’s Awami League from participating [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. The interim BNP government condemned Hasina’s broadcast speech from India and warned she will face arrest if she returns [1, 2, 5, 6]. In July 2026, Rahman inaugurated a museum honoring the 2024 uprising at Hasina’s former residence [5].
Hasina’s return to Bangladesh in December looms amid heightened tensions and uncertainty. The government has issued warnings, while protests erupted following her speech, including burning her effigy and attacks on supporters’ homes [5]. Her address drew diplomatic protests from Bangladesh to India over allowing her message [1, 5, 6].
The coming months will test whether Hasina can safely return as promised or faces immediate arrest under the death sentence. Her announcement marks the most direct challenge yet by the ousted leader to the BNP government controlling Dhaka.
