Sheikh Hasina, the former prime minister of Bangladesh, has declared her intention to return to her homeland after spending the past two years in exile in India. Speaking in a recorded message from New Delhi, Hasina stated she is prepared to face whatever consequences await her, including arrest, imprisonment, or even death. The 78-year-old leader fled the country following a massive student-led uprising in 2024 that forced her from power. That same year, Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal, a court she herself had established, convicted her on charges of crimes against humanity. The verdict included a death sentence for her role in orchestrating the deaths of more than 1,400 individuals during the unrest.
Hasina’s defiance and New Delhi’s role
Hasina delivered her remarks during an event in New Delhi hosted by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia, exactly two years after her government collapsed. India has historically been one of Hasina’s most steadfast allies, but its government has not yet provided a definitive response to Bangladesh’s request for her extradition. Dhaka has repeatedly demanded her return, arguing the case deserves full judicial resolution. However, as she spoke, crowds in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, reacted with fury, burning an effigy of the former leader. The current government expressed strong disapproval of the event, warning that it could damage the already delicate diplomatic relationship between the two neighboring countries. Hasina vowed to return by the end of the year, saying, “They may put me in a cell. They may kill me. Anything may happen, but still I have to go.” Her son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, said at the event that Hasina was being treated well in exile, with “full services and security of a head of state.” India officially distanced itself from the news conference, saying it had no role in organizing it and did not endorse the political views expressed.
Tensions were further heightened during her address, as violence erupted in parts of Bangladesh. In Magura town, about 170 kilometers southwest of Dhaka, a mob attacked the ancestral home of former national cricket captain Shakib Al Hasan. The home was petrol-bombed in response to Hasina’s statement. Shakib, a former parliamentarian affiliated with Hasina’s Awami League, has been living abroad since the uprising. He has since faced multiple serious charges, including murder, embezzlement, fraud, and money laundering, all related to the events of 2024.
A call for reconciliation and a fractured legacy
In her speech, Hasina denied the widely accepted narrative that the 2024 uprising was a genuine popular movement. Instead, she labeled it a coordinated effort to remove her from power. She claimed her return was necessary to “restore democracy” and “promote national reconciliation.” She argued that the country, still reeling from the conflict, needed healing and unity rather than continued division and confrontation. Among her supporters, hopes are growing. Al Jazeera contacted several members of the Awami League, many of whom remain in hiding. While some chose not to speak publicly, a senior party leader, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “The leader will return, and we will emerge from our hiding places.”
One party activist, Shajidul Islam Shobuj, who has also been in hiding since the uprising, shared his optimism with Al Jazeera. “We are eagerly waiting for her return and are already working to reorganize the party,” he said. For these supporters, Hasina’s words reignite the dream of reclaiming political power and reversing the government that replaced her.
But for the people who led the uprising, Hasina’s return is not the solution but the problem. Akhter Hossain, a former student leader who is now a member of the National Citizen Party, rejected the idea that reconciliation can precede accountability. He said the former prime minister must be held responsible for the actions of her time in power. “The Awami League has no political future unless it is subjected to justice,” Akhter stated. To many, Hasina is not a symbol of peace but of corruption and violence, and her return would signal a refusal to address the nation’s wounds.
Skepticism and scars remain
Even for ordinary citizens, the scars of 2024 remain fresh. Atikul Gazi, a 23-year-old who survived being shot at point-blank range by security forces on August 5, 2024, expressed deep skepticism about Hasina’s promise to return. “She said she would not flee the country, yet she did,” he told Al Jazeera. “Why should we believe she will return now?” For Gazi, who lost his left arm in the violence, Hasina’s return—whether voluntary or forced—should come with a guarantee of accountability. “No matter how she comes back, the government must ensure she faces the judicial process,” he added.
While Hasina was delivering her defiant statement, another powerful symbol emerged in Bangladesh. A memorial museum dedicated to the 2024 uprising opened in her former official residence. The site, now transformed into a space of remembrance, was attended by Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate who led the interim administration after Hasina’s ouster. For many, the museum stands not as a monument to reconciliation but as a reminder of what the country hopes to leave behind.