Hasina Announces December Return to Bangladesh to Face Charges
Public Lokpal
July 10, 2026
Hasina Announces December Return to Bangladesh to Face Charges
New Delhi : Ousted former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has announced plans to return from her exile in India by December 2026 alongside senior colleagues from the Awami League.
The 78-year-old leader intends to voluntarily surrender and legally contest numerous charges, including a death sentence handed down in absentia by Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal in late 2025.
Hasina acknowledged the profound personal dangers awaiting her, admitting she faces the distinct possibilities of immediate arrest or assassination. However, she emphasized her duty to stand by party workers currently experiencing severe political repression.
Having fled Bangladesh in August 2024 following a massive student-led uprising, her prolonged stay in India has strained bilateral relations between New Delhi and Dhaka. Hasina’s high-stakes decision to return on her own accord bypasses formal extradition processes and is poised to severely test Bangladesh's current political stability.