Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday reaffirmed her intention to return to Bangladesh in December despite the possibility of arrest or imprisonment, saying fear would not prevent her from fulfilling what she described as her responsibility towards the people.
In her first audio address to the international media in New Delhi since being removed from power two years ago, Hasina said she could not remain away from Bangladesh while its people were facing hardships and insisted she would return regardless of the consequences.
"Whatever fate awaits me, I will return to my people. I cannot stay away while my beloved countrymen are suffering. I know I may be detained, I may be sent to prison. They may try to enforce verdicts issued in fabricated cases, but fear cannot decide my duty to the people. My life goes beyond calculations of personal safety," she said.
Confirming her plans, Hasina said she intended to return later this year.
"I have announced my return and will do that in December. Obviously, I will announce the date at an appropriate time," she added.
The 77-year-old Awami League leader has been living at an undisclosed location in New Delhi since she was forced from office following the student-led protests on August 5, 2024.
Hasina said her decision to return was motivated by concern for Bangladesh rather than a desire to regain power.
"I want to return because people deserve security, development, prosperity and peace. My return and the return of the Awami League to the democratic process is not about power, it is about putting Bangladesh on the right track. It is about reviving the country's path of development, progress, secularism and stability," she said.
She also accused the current administration of weakening Bangladesh's democratic and secular values.
"I believe in democracy and secular polity. They have already destroyed the monuments of our freedom and our pride," Hasina said.
Reflecting on her political journey, she recalled the hardships she had faced over the years, including imprisonment, exile and multiple assassination attempts.
"In 1971, I was in prison with my mother, and my son Joy was born in captivity. In 1975, I lost my family. I spent six years in exile. After returning home, I fought against the military dictatorship and political conspiracies. There were 19 assassination attempts against me. Even the grenade attack of 2004 could not stop me. Therefore, I am not worried about my own future; I am worried about the future of Bangladesh," she said.
After Hasina's removal from office, the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus dissolved the Awami League through an executive order issued under Bangladesh's anti-terrorism law.
In November 2025, Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal sentenced Hasina to death in absentia after convicting her of crimes against humanity in connection with the violent crackdown on the 2024 student protests.
Hasina has dismissed the charges as politically motivated. Bangladesh has also sought her extradition from India, a request that New Delhi has acknowledged and said is under legal consideration.
