Sheikh Hasina, the disgraced former prime minister of Bangladesh, has signaled her intention to return to her home country next month following over two years of self-imposed exile in India. According to exiled members of her political party, the Awami League, Hasina submitted an application this week for a fresh passport and national identity card through a UK-based lawyer, demonstrating her commitment to the planned return.
Hasina departed Bangladesh in August 2024 after being removed from power by widespread civil unrest directed at her authoritarian governance. Since her departure, the Indian government has allowed her to reside freely in New Delhi. Her situation was complicated last November when a tribunal in Bangladesh convicted her of crimes against humanity, imposing a death sentence in connection with a military operation against student protesters that resulted in approximately 1,400 deaths. Hasina has contested these charges and questioned the legitimacy of the tribunal that convicted her.
Her anticipated return carries significant implications for Bangladesh, where the Awami League remains banned and numerous party members are incarcerated. Should Hasina succeed in returning, authorities are expected to arrest her immediately. The Bangladesh government has indicated she would only be permitted entry under an “acceptable prisoner exchange” framework governed by the India-Bangladesh extradition treaty and has characterized her as a terrorist. Political analysts attribute her decision to return, despite substantial personal risk, to efforts aimed at reinvigorating her party’s support network and potentially destabilizing the current government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, which assumed office following democratic elections earlier in the year.
Several other prominent Awami League figures have already attempted to return in recent months, including former legislator Mustaque Ahmed Ruhi, who was apprehended by police in September and now faces criminal prosecution. Party leaders in exile have expressed resolve to follow Hasina back to Bangladesh despite threats of arrest and imprisonment, framing their return as a political strategy to challenge the incumbent administration amid economic difficulties and labor unrest affecting the nation’s manufacturing sector.
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