Sheikh Hasina aims to return to Bangladesh despite facing death penalty

Bangladesh's ousted prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, is preparing to end her exile in India and return home in December, despite facing an active death sentence.

Exiled officials from her banned political party, the Awami League, told The Guardian that the former leader has initiated formal steps to facilitate her travel. A British legal representative acting on Hasina's behalf submitted a formal request on Monday to the Bangladeshi high commission in Delhi, asking for a replacement passport and a national identity card. Party officials stated that if a standard passport is denied, she intends to request a temporary travel permit to cross back into Bangladesh.

Hasina fled across the Indian border in August 2024 following a nationwide uprising that ended her 15-year tenure. Since her departure, she has resided in Delhi under the protection of Indian authorities. Last November, a special tribunal in Bangladesh convicted Hasina in absentia of crimes against humanity and sentenced her to death, holding her responsible for a violent state crackdown on student demonstrations that resulted in roughly 1,400 fatalities.

The Bangladeshi government has reiterated that Hasina is classified as a convicted fugitive and stated she can only re-enter the country through formal extradition proceedings under an existing bilateral treaty. Aminul Islam, the chief prosecutor for the tribunal, dismissed the possibility of issuing travel papers, emphasizing that the window to appeal her sentence has closed and that she faces immediate execution upon arrival.

Despite these warnings, Hasina reaffirmed her resolve to return, telling the Associated Press via email that she would prefer to die in her homeland alongside her supporters if that is her fate.

Any arrival by the former prime minister is anticipated to trigger significant unrest. The Awami League remains outlawed, thousands of its members have been imprisoned, and returning figures face instant detention. Mustaque Ahmed Ruhi, a former member of parliament aligned with Hasina, was taken into custody upon his return in September over murder allegations linked to the 2024 unrest.

Political observers view Hasina's planned homecoming as a strategic effort to mobilize her remaining supporters and challenge the newly elected administration headed by Tarique Rahman. Rahman took office in February following the country's first democratic ballot in decades, but his administration has faced mounting economic strain, including high inflation and disruptive demonstrations in the garment manufacturing sector. Exiled party leaders based in Kolkata indicated that other figures intend to accompany Hasina back to Bangladesh, maintaining that they are prepared to face imprisonment to mount a political challenge against the current administration.