Sheikh Hasina told NDTV on a phone call that she will return to Bangladesh by December 2026, even if a November 2025 death sentence from a Bangladeshi tribunal is enforced.
The sentence, handed down after her exile, has been described by Hasina as a politically motivated sham. She claims the post‑deportation government is unconstitutional and vengeful.
Hasina says she is prepared to face imprisonment and seeks full legal protection. She demands the justice system apply the law fairly, just as it did when she called for trials of those who assassinated her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
She also plans to rebuild the Awami League, which led Bangladesh to independence, and intends to play a central role in its resurgence. Her remarks come amid reports of rising extremist activity in the country.
In her interview, Hasina warned that the threat from terrorist and extremist groups is grave and that Bangladesh must strengthen intelligence and law‑enforcement while safeguarding civil liberties.
The next step, according to Hasina, is to secure a legal framework that allows her peaceful entry by the end of 2026, while continuing to mobilise support for the Awami League from abroad.