GUWAHATI, July 11: Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said she plans to return from exile in India around December to surrender before a court.

Return Plans

Hasina told Reuters on July 9–10 that she would return voluntarily along with senior Awami League leaders.

She said she knows she could face arrest or even death but wants to stand with party workers who have faced “repression” since her government fell.

Why She Left

Hasina left Bangladesh in 2024 after student protests ended her tenure.

A war crimes tribunal sentenced her to death in absentia in November 2024 over a crackdown on protesters. She has rejected the charges.

She said threats to her life forced her to leave the country when protesters moved towards her residence.

Legal Battle

The Awami League has been banned, and many of its leaders are facing criminal cases.

Hasina said, “I believe in justice. Courts will show this case is farcical.”

Bangladesh has requested India to extradite her, and India has said it is “examining” the request. Hasina, however, said she would return to Bangladesh on her own.

Party Work

Hasina said she is rebuilding the Awami League online in 125 of Bangladesh’s 300 parliamentary constituencies.

She also opposed the ban on her party, saying, “Let the people decide if we did badly.”