Sheikh Hasina Vows December Return to Bangladesh from Exile

Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced her intention to return to Bangladesh in December 2026 to face legal proceedings and restore the country's prosperity. Speaking via virtual and audio links during an event hosted by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia in New Delhi, Hasina stated she is prepared to face arrest, imprisonment, or death. She characterized the 2024 protests that ousted her as a coordinated campaign by organized groups rather than a spontaneous student movement and dismissed her 2025 death sentence for crimes against humanity as politically motivated.

Hasina demanded the lifting of the ban on her Awami League party and the release of political prisoners. Her son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, described Bangladesh as a failed state and alleged that foreign intelligence agencies, specifically Pakistan's ISI, now exert significant influence in the country. He thanked the Indian government for providing his mother with the security and courtesies of a head of state.

The Government of Bangladesh, led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, condemned the media event as an affront to national sovereignty and a grievance to the victims of the 2024 July Revolution. Dhaka has repeatedly requested Hasina's extradition under a 2013 treaty and warned that she would be arrested immediately upon her return. The Government of India distanced itself from the press conference, stating the event was organized by a private entity and that it does not endorse the views expressed.