'May get arrested or killed': Sheikh Hasina says she will return to Bangladesh in December with party colleagues
New Delhi, July 10
Bangladesh's former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has announced that she, alongside other exiled leaders of the Awami League, intends to return to Bangladesh voluntarily around December, despite facing the stark prospect of arrest or death upon her arrival.
In an interview with Reuters, the 78-year-old leader, who moved to India following a student-led uprising that unseated her administration in August 2024, stated that she plans to surrender before the judicial courts upon her return.
She further clarified that there has been no communication with the current authorities in Dhaka concerning the scheduled homecoming.
"They may arrest me on my return, they may even kill me," Sheikh Hasina told the news agency. "Still, I have to go."
Expressing deep concern over the ongoing situation of her political supporters back home, the former Prime Minister emphasised her resolve to face the consequences on her home soil.
"My party leaders and workers are being subjected to tremendous repression. If death comes, I want it to come on my own soil, where my parents are buried and where their blood was shed," she added.
The high-stakes announcement follows a ruling by Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal, which sentenced her to death after convicting her of crimes against humanity.
The charges were tied to the state crackdown on the 2024 student-led demonstrations that ultimately led to the fall of the Awami League government, with the tribunal holding her accountable for ordering or failing to stop the fatalities of demonstrators during the political unrest.
In the same verdict, the tribunal handed a death sentence to former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and a five-year prison sentence to former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun.
The judicial body additionally directed the state to confiscate the properties of both Sheikh Hasina and Kamal.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I'm no fan of her authoritarian style, but returning to face trial shows courage. However, the death sentence for protest deaths is harsh. Our judicial systems in the subcontinent often get weaponized. She could have stayed in exile, but she chose to go back.
Sheikh Hasina's commitment to her people is evident, but there's a part of me that worries about the instability this could cause in Bangladesh. The student uprising was a clear message. She should have listened then. Now, returning might just add fuel to the fire.
"If death comes, I want it to come on my own soil." That's poignant. It reminds me of the sacrifices our own leaders made. But being a former PM, she should have handled the dissent better. This is a tragic end to a long political career. 😢
Honestly, this feels like a political drama. She knows she won't be killed; there's too much international pressure. But the arrest is almost certain. The question is, will the current government in Dhaka allow her to return? India should maintain a neutral stance here.
I respect her decision to return, but the death sentence is troubling. It sends a message that political opponents can be eliminated. That's not democracy. Our region needs more dialogue, not more bloodshed. Hope she finds a way to contribute peaceably.
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