Sheikh Hasina rejects return amid tribunal verdict, warns of instability and democratic collapse

Former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina has ruled out returning to the country under current conditions, describing the legal action against her as politically driven and warning that Bangladesh is sliding deeper into instability as violence and unrest continue.

Hasina’s refusal comes as Bangladesh witnessed fresh disorder last week, including the killing of a Hindu man, an incident she cited as evidence of deteriorating law and order since her removal from office. She has maintained that she will only return once Bangladesh has what she describes as a legitimate government and an independent judiciary, arguing that the present environment makes a fair legal process impossible.

She has accused the interim administration led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus of lacking democratic legitimacy and using state institutions to target political opponents. According to Hasina, the verdict delivered by the International Crimes Tribunal was not a genuine judicial exercise but a political manoeuvre aimed at eliminating her from public life. She has alleged that she was denied basic rights of defence and the freedom to appoint legal counsel, and that the tribunal was deployed to pursue a wider campaign against the Awami League.

The tribunal’s ruling in November found Hasina guilty of crimes against humanity in connection with the July–August 2024 uprising. Local media reported that International Crimes Tribunal-1 imposed the death penalty after convicting her on all five charges. The judgment concluded that Hasina, along with senior figures from her former government, had enabled and directed atrocities during the protests.

While rejecting the ruling, Hasina has said she continues to place faith in Bangladesh’s constitutional traditions, arguing that justice can only be achieved once institutional independence is restored. She has also dismissed calls for her extradition, portraying them as a sign of desperation within an unelected administration struggling to maintain control.

A central part of her criticism has focused on the political roadmap under the interim government. Hasina has questioned the credibility of elections scheduled for February, pointing to the continued ban on the Awami League. She has argued that excluding a party with multiple national mandates would hollow out the electoral process, depress voter participation and leave any resulting government without moral authority or public trust.

Addressing her departure from Bangladesh, Hasina has said she left to prevent further bloodshed rather than to evade accountability. She has expressed appreciation for the hospitality extended to her by India, while warning that relations between Dhaka and New Delhi have suffered sharply under the interim administration.

Hasina has blamed the current authorities for stoking anti-India sentiment, failing to protect religious minorities and allowing extremist groups to influence both domestic and foreign policy. She has argued that India has been Bangladesh’s most reliable partner for decades and that bilateral ties, rooted in history and geography, will endure beyond the present political crisis.

Concerns over the safety of Indian diplomats and missions, she has said, are justified, alleging that extremist elements emboldened under the Yunus administration have targeted embassies, media organisations and minority communities. She has further claimed that convicted militants have been released and radical figures elevated to positions of authority, weakening the state’s ability to maintain order.

The killing of Sharif Usman Hadi, Hasina has argued, underlines the scale of the breakdown in law and order, with violence becoming increasingly routine and damaging Bangladesh’s standing with its neighbours. She has warned that a state unable to maintain basic internal security inevitably loses credibility on the international stage.

Hasina has also raised alarm over the growing influence of radical Islamist groups, claiming that organisations linked to international terror networks are now operating openly. She has cautioned that these groups project moderation abroad while steadily radicalising institutions at home, a trend she says should concern not only India but the wider region.

On rhetoric targeting India’s Siliguri Corridor, often referred to as the Chicken’s Neck, Hasina has described such statements as reckless and unrepresentative of public opinion in Bangladesh, arguing that no responsible leadership would threaten a neighbour critical to trade and regional stability.

She has also criticised the interim government’s outreach to Pakistan, saying that while Bangladesh believes in friendly relations with all states, the current approach reflects diplomatic isolation and poor judgement rather than strategic balance.

Reiterating her core position, Hasina has said the interim administration has no mandate to reshape Bangladesh’s long-term foreign or domestic policy. She has insisted that once Bangladeshis are able to vote freely again, democratic legitimacy will be restored and the country’s institutions and international relationships will begin to recover.