Sheikh Hasina Says Bangladesh Return Is ‘Not About Power’, Plans Homecoming by December
Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said she intends to return to Bangladesh by December, insisting that her planned homecoming is not driven by a desire to regain power but by a determination to “stand beside the people” and help put the country back on what she considers the path of democracy, development and stability. Her remarks came in an exclusive telephonic interview with Hindustan Times published on September 2.
Hasina, who has been living in India since leaving Bangladesh in August 2024 following mass student-led protests that brought down her government, said she would announce the exact date and point of entry later. She said she could not remain outside Bangladesh indefinitely and wanted to return to her own country and people.
“I am not worried about my own future. My return is not about power. It is about standing beside the people,” Hasina said in the interview. She argued that Bangladesh’s current political crisis had become a national issue rather than simply a matter concerning the Awami League.
Hasina claimed that Bangladesh had been pulled away from the development trajectory followed during her years in government. She pointed to economic growth, rising per-capita income and infrastructure development under the Awami League, while alleging that growth, investment, employment and industrial activity have deteriorated since her ouster.
She also raised concerns about electricity and gas shortages, rising living costs and unemployment. Hasina argued that economic deterioration, weakening law and order and the growth of extremist networks could have consequences extending beyond Bangladesh’s borders. These economic and security claims are her own assessment and have not been independently established by the interview itself.
The former prime minister also addressed the question of her legal exposure. She said hundreds of cases filed against her were fabricated and accused Bangladesh’s judiciary of being used for political revenge. She faces serious legal proceedings in Bangladesh, including a death sentence handed down in absentia by a tribunal over alleged crimes against humanity linked to the 2024 crackdown. Hasina rejects the allegations.
Despite the risks, she said fear would not determine her decision. In an earlier public address in August, Hasina had similarly said she was prepared for the possibility of detention or imprisonment upon returning and would accept whatever fate awaited her.
Her latest comments also bring the issue of her possible extradition back into the centre of India-Bangladesh relations. Hasina questioned the Bangladesh government’s reported effort to connect her extradition with a potential visit to New Delhi by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, saying her decision to return would be her own and was not part of any agreement with Dhaka.
She also criticised the present political environment in Bangladesh, alleging increased attacks on shrines, cultural sites and secular symbols. Hasina warned that weakening counterterrorism capabilities and allowing extremist groups greater operating space could create security implications for India and the wider region. These are allegations made by Hasina and should be distinguished from independently verified developments.
Her comments carry particular significance for India because New Delhi’s relationship with Dhaka has become increasingly complicated by her continued presence in India. Bangladesh has repeatedly sought her extradition, while India has so far allowed her to remain in the country. Her public political statements from India have also become a source of friction between the two governments.
Hasina said she remains grateful to India for providing her a place to stay but described separation from Bangladesh and its people as deeply difficult. She said she follows developments in the country closely, including the situation of Awami League leaders and supporters, the economy, law and order and minority safety.
The planned December return therefore represents more than a personal homecoming. If Hasina follows through, it could become a major political and diplomatic test for Bangladesh, India and the country’s emerging political order. Her return would also directly confront the legal and political consequences of the 2024 uprising and the subsequent banning of the Awami League.
For now, Hasina remains in India, while the exact date and circumstances of her proposed return remain undecided. But her latest interview makes one point clear: she is publicly positioning the proposed homecoming as a political and national mission rather than a straightforward attempt to reclaim the office she lost in 2024.
