Former Prime Minister and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina has expressed her willingness to return to Bangladesh — but with one clear condition: she will return only under a “legitimate government.”
In an email interview with Reuters published on Wednesday (October 29), Sheikh Hasina said,
“I want to return to my country, but only when there is a legitimate government in place and genuine law and order is maintained.”
Hasina took shelter in India on August 5, 2024, after being ousted from power during a mass uprising led by students and citizens. She is currently facing war crimes charges before the International Crimes Tribunal over allegations of violent crackdowns, enforced disappearances, and human rights abuses during her rule.
The tribunal has already banned the publication and broadcast of any “inciting or hateful statements” made by the ousted premier in the media or on social platforms.
In her remarks to Reuters, Sheikh Hasina also stated that she would not return under any government formed without the Awami League’s participation. For now, she intends to remain in India.
Separately, in an interview with The Independent (UK), Sheikh Hasina refused to apologize for those killed during last year’s uprising.
Sheikh Hasina fled Bangladesh during the “July Massacre” of 2024, when widespread protests toppled her government. The Bangladesh government has since sent an official letter to India requesting her extradition, though New Delhi has not yet taken any action.
Meanwhile, the court handling her war crimes case has ordered public summons notices to be published in newspapers, directing her to appear before the tribunal. Several political parties and civic groups have also demanded her repatriation and trial in Bangladesh.