Sheikh Hasina vows to return to Bangladesh despite arrest risk: ‘I have to go back’
The former prime minister has lived in India since her government fell in August 2024. No return date has been set. She urges the US to “choose democracy”.
Archive image · Photo: DelwarHossain / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Bangladesh's former prime minister Sheikh Hasina says she will return home despite the risk of arrest. “How risky it is, I don't care. I have to go back,” she told a Washington press conference she joined virtually, IANS news agency reported. Hasina has lived in India since her government collapsed in August 2024. Her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy said no return date had been set.
Hasina accused the current leadership in Dhaka of using criminal cases to suppress her and members of her Awami League, and disputed their legitimacy. She acknowledged “difficult questions” about her government and the events of 2024, saying allegations against anyone should be resolved through fair judicial proceedings.
She urged the United States to back democracy, political pluralism and inclusive elections rather than any individual or party: “I ask the U.S. to choose democracy.” She thanked India's government and people for hosting her.