Hasina's Defiant Return: Ousted Bangladesh PM Vows Comeback Amidst Death Sentence

Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has declared her intent to return to Bangladesh by the end of 2026, marking the first time she has set a firm timeline since fleeing to India in August 2024 following a student-led uprising. Speaking from her exile in India, Hasina, 78, dismissed a death sentence handed down against her last November as 'politically motivated,' affirming her return is dedicated to restoring democracy, rule of law, and political rights in her homeland. This bold announcement sends shockwaves through Bangladesh political landscape, currently led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which swept to power in the February 2026 elections after an interim government. Hasina's Awami League party remains banned under the Anti-Terrorism Act, and she faces formal extradition requests from Bangladesh. Her government's 2024 ouster, dubbed the 'July Uprising,' stemmed from widespread protests over a job quota system, authoritarianism, and economic grievances, leading to a constitutional crisis. The move complicates already strained India-Bangladesh relations, which cooled significantly after Hasina's departure and Rahman's ascendancy, despite recent Indian efforts to reset ties by resuming tourist visas. As Hasina defiantly vows to overcome 'every obstacle,' her return risks escalating domestic political tensions and presenting New Delhi with a delicate diplomatic challenge given Dhaka's formal request for her extradition. All eyes will be on how the Rahman government responds to her impending arrival and the future of the banned Awami League.