Guwahati: Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday announced that she intends to return to Bangladesh in December, despite the possibility of being arrested, while sharply criticising the current government in Dhaka for, she alleged, undermining democracy and targeting political opponents.
Speaking via an audio link at an event organised by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia (FCC) in New Delhi, Hasina said she was prepared to face imprisonment if necessary.
“I know I may be detained. I may be sent to prison. But fear cannot decide my duty to the people,” she said, adding that she had chosen December, which she described as Bangladesh’s “Victory Month”, for her planned return.
Hasina said Bangladesh required political reconciliation, constitutional governance and a return to democratic values.
“I believe in democracy. I believe in a secular democratic system. That’s why I want to go back,” she said.
The former premier has been living in India since leaving Bangladesh following the student-led uprising of August 2024, which brought an end to her 15-year tenure in office.
Reiterating her earlier position, Hasina rejected the widely accepted narrative surrounding the July-August 2024 protests, claiming they were not a peaceful student movement but a coordinated campaign aimed at overthrowing the country’s constitutional order.
She accused the interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, as well as the subsequent Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led government, of suppressing democratic institutions, targeting Awami League leaders and presiding over economic decline.
Hasina alleged that thousands of Awami League members and supporters had either been killed or arrested, while millions had been implicated in criminal cases. She also accused the authorities of abandoning investigations into the 2024 violence while granting immunity to those responsible for attacks on her party.
Calling the situation in Bangladesh a matter of regional concern, Hasina appealed to the international community to support what she described as the restoration of democracy. She demanded that the ban on the Awami League be lifted, political prisoners released, criminal cases against party workers withdrawn, media freedom restored and judicial independence ensured.
The event was attended by several senior Awami League leaders, including former education minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel, former diplomat Aminul Hoque Polash, and Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy. Cricketer Shakib Al Hasan was also present.
During the interaction, Joy alleged that successive governments in Bangladesh had curtailed political freedoms and press independence while allowing religious extremism to gain ground. He also said there had been no communication with the current Bangladeshi authorities regarding Hasina’s proposed return.
Referring to India’s role, Joy thanked the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying Hasina had been treated “with the utmost respect” during her stay in India.
Hasina also described India as a longstanding friend of Bangladesh but reiterated that her ultimate goal was to return to her own country.
Responding to a question on whether she regretted the violence during the 2024 protests, Joy said an apology could not be considered while those allegedly responsible for killing police personnel and Awami League members had not been brought to justice.
Shortly after the event, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a strongly worded statement condemning both Hasina’s remarks and India’s decision to allow the media interaction.
The ministry described Hasina as an “absconding convicted genocider” and accused her of using Indian territory to launch attacks against the Bangladeshi state and its people.
Dhaka said it had conveyed its concerns to New Delhi in advance and expressed disappointment that the event was nevertheless allowed to proceed. It termed the programme an affront to Bangladesh’s sovereignty and an insult to those killed during what the country officially commemorates as the July Revolution.
While reaffirming its commitment to maintaining constructive relations with India, Bangladesh also noted that New Delhi had yet to respond to its repeated requests for Hasina’s extradition under the 2013 India-Bangladesh Extradition Treaty.
The controversy had begun even before the event. Earlier this week, Bangladesh formally objected to Hasina making political statements from Indian soil, warning that such activities could adversely affect improving bilateral relations.
Responding to the issue, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the programme was organised by a private media organisation and that the Government of India had “no involvement whatsoever” in the event or the views expressed there.
India has consistently maintained that Hasina was granted refuge on humanitarian grounds after arriving in the country and has not been permitted to engage in political activities on behalf of the Indian government.
Hasina’s latest appearance marks her second public address from New Delhi since leaving Bangladesh in 2024. Since then, she has continued to communicate with Awami League supporters through recorded messages, social media posts and media interviews, each of which has drawn objections from Dhaka, which continues to press India for her extradition.