Ousted former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has declared that she does not require foreign backing or protection to return to her country.
In an email interview with the Associated Press, the 79-year-old leader reaffirmed that her decision to return from exile in India by December remains unchanged.
Hasina fled to India in August 2024 following a mass student-led uprising that ended her 15-year rule. In November 2025, Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal sentenced her to death in absentia over a deadly crackdown on protesters that killed nearly 1,400 people. Hasina has rejected the verdict and questioned the tribunal’s legitimacy, while India has resisted repeated extradition requests from Bangladesh.
Addressing queries on whether she expected powers like the US or India to pressure Bangladesh for her safe passage, Hasina emphasised that while she values international ties, she does not seek the “blessing of a foreign power” to return.
Acknowledging the severe risks—including arrest, torture, or death upon arrival—Hasina stated that she would rather die on her own soil than watch her country suffer from afar. She also criticised the interim administration’s ban on the Awami League, urging that voters be allowed to decide the party’s future in democratically conducted elections.
