'They may arrest or kill me': Sheikh Hasina vows to return to Bangladesh in December

Ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has announced plans to return to her country in December despite facing a death sentence, saying she is prepared to surrender and face whatever awaits her.

Speaking to Reuters, the 78-year-old Awami League leader said she and several senior party colleagues intend to voluntarily return to Bangladesh and present themselves before the courts.

'They may arrest me on my return, they may even kill me. Still, I have to go,' Hasina said. 'If death comes, I want it to come on my own soil, where my parents are buried and where their blood was shed,' she added.

Hasina, who fled Bangladesh in 2024 after weeks of student-led protests forced her from power, has been living in exile.

In November, the country's war crimes tribunal sentenced her to death over allegations that she ordered a deadly crackdown on protesters. She has consistently denied the charges.

The former prime minister said she has not informed the Bangladesh government of her planned return, arguing that democracy and political rights should not be decided through 'secret talks.'

Hasina also said she was not afraid of being arrested, noting that she had been imprisoned several times in the past.

According to reports, many leaders and workers of her Awami League, which has since been banned, have faced arrests, legal action and attacks since her government was ousted.

Reflecting on her years in office, Hasina acknowledged that governments can make mistakes but insisted that the ultimate verdict should rest with the people.

'No government is above error. But the right to judge a government belongs to the people. I leave that judgment to the people,' she said.

Hasina further revealed that she has been holding online meetings across 125 of Bangladesh's 300 parliamentary constituencies as part of efforts to reorganise the Awami League.

'They may have convicted me, and I may not be able to contest elections. But why should they suspend the Awami League? If we have done badly, let the people decide,' she said.