Reports of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's possible return have triggered fresh political tensions and international attention. The chief prosecutor of Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal has urged Hasina to surrender and warned against any action that could create instability. Hasina, who left Bangladesh in 2024 following widespread protests, has said she plans to return voluntarily with Awami League members. She continues to deny the charges against her, while authorities in Bangladesh have maintained legal action against the former leader.

Sheikh Hasina return row: Bangladesh tribunal demands surrender amid political tensions | Bangladesh

Sheikh Hasina's downfall, escape to India and conviction in absentia now place her alongside a number of world leaders who were forced into exile following political upheaval, mass unrest or coups.

Sheikh Hasina's downfall, escape to India and conviction in absentia now place her alongside a number of world leaders who were forced into exile following political upheaval, mass unrest or coups.&nbsp;

Sheikh Hasina, Pervez Musharraf, Rajapaksa and more: 6 leaders who fled their countries after political crisis

Bangladesh’s ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday (Nov 17) called the court verdict convicting her of ‘crimes against humanity’, as “biased and politically motivated”. The International Crimes Tribunal-1 announced a death sentence for Hasina, marking the end of a months-long trial. The tribunal delivered the verdict as crowds watched the hearing on big screens set up by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs across Dhaka.“The verdicts announced against me have been made by a rigged tribunal established and presided over by an unelected government with no democratic mandate,” Hasina said in a statement issued from hiding in India. “They are biased and politically motivated.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;The verdicts announced against me have been made by a rigged tribunal established and presided over by an unelected government with no democratic mandate. They are biased and politically motivated,&quot; says ousted Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina on the ICT verdict against her <a href="https://t.co/wNgVhIuCFG">pic.twitter.com/wNgVhIuCFG</a>&mdash; WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1990353431664718320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Hasina, who is currently living in India, defied court ordering her to return to Dhaka to attend her trial. Critics have accused her of imprisoning political rivals, enacting strict anti-press laws, and overseeing widespread human rights abuses.&nbsp;&nbsp;Hasina refused to recognise the authority of the court, rejecting all charges. “Its guilty verdict against me was a foregone conclusion,” she added in her lengthy five-page statement. She added that she would be willing to attend a fresh trial from outside Bangladesh.&nbsp;“I am not afraid to face my accusers in a proper tribunal where the evidence can be weighed and tested fairly,” she said. “That is why I have repeatedly challenged the interim government to bring these charges before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.”&nbsp;She further added, “The interim government will not accept this challenge, because it knows that the ICC would acquit me. The interim government also fears that the ICC would scrutinise its own record of human rights breaches in office.”&nbsp;Slamming Muhammad Yunus, Hasina said that he came to power “unconstitutionally” and with the support of extremist elements. “Under his rule, every protest from students, garment workers, doctors, nurses, and teachers to professionals has been met with suppression, some of it brutal. Peaceful demonstrators have been shot and killed. Journalists who attempt to report these incidents face harassment and torture,” she said.&nbsp;She also alleged that houses, businesses, and properties belonging to leaders of her party, the Awami League, across the country were burned and destroyed.&nbsp;Speaking about the violence in July and August last year, Hasina said, “In taking the actions we did to try to stem the disorder, Bangladesh's political leaders acted in good faith and were trying to minimise the loss of life. We lost control of the situation, but to characterize what happened as a premeditated assault on citizens is simply to misread the facts.”&nbsp;She added that despite their lurid claims, the prosecutors failed to produce any persuasive evidence against her that she ordered the use of “lethal force” against the people. She alleged that audio files and transcripts cited as evidence have been taken out of context and are fragmentary. “The fact is that operational control rested with security forces on the ground, acting under established legal protocols,” she said.

The tribunal delivered the verdict as crowds watched the hearing on big screens set up by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs across Dhaka.

Bangladesh’s ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday (Nov 17) called the court verdict convicting her of ‘crimes against humanity’, as “biased and politically motivated”. The International Crimes Tribunal-1 announced a death sentence for Hasina, marking the end of a months-long trial. The tribunal delivered the verdict as crowds watched the hearing on big screens set up by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs across Dhaka. “The verdicts announced against me have been made by a rigged tribunal established and presided over by an unelected government with no democratic mandate,” Hasina said in a statement issued from hiding in India. “They are biased and politically motivated.”

The tribunal delivered the verdict as crowds watched the hearing on big screens set up by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs across Dhaka.

‘Biased, politically motivated’: Sheikh Hasina issues first statement after Bangladesh court sentences her to death

A Bangladesh court on Monday (Nov 17) convicted ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina to death for crimes against humanity, marking the end of a months-long trial. The International Crimes Tribunal-1 delivered the verdict as hundreds watched the proceedings on big screens set up by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs across Dhaka.&nbsp;The tribunal stated that Hasina, along with the then Home Minister and Inspector General of Police, collectively committed crimes against humanity. The three-member tribunal, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, found her guilty of ordering a deadly crackdown on a student-led uprising last year. The court said that six people at Chankharpul were killed using “lethal weapons” during the protest on August 5. &nbsp;“Sheikh Hasina has committed crimes against humanity. Six protesters at Chankharpul were killed using lethal weapons on August 5. By issuing orders and through the inaction of Sheikh Hasina, the then Home Minister, and the IG of police, the students were killed. These killings happened under the orders and full knowledge of PM Sheikh Hasina. By such acts, they committed crimes against humanity,” reads the charges.&nbsp;Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam has described the former prime minister as the “mastermind and principal architect” of the alleged atrocities amid the violent protests.&nbsp;Hasina, who is currently in India, has defied the tribunal’s order to return to Bangladesh. The Awami League leader is facing trial on charges of ordering a deadly crackdown against the student-led uprising that led to her ouster last year on August 5.&nbsp;Ahead of the verdict, Hasina’s son and advisor Sajeeb Wazed said that the verdict will not impact his mother. “We know exactly what the verdict is going to be. They’re televising it. They’re going to convict her, and they’ll probably sentence her to death…What can they do to my mother? My mother is safe in India. India is giving her full security,” said Wazed, as quoted by Reuters. He currently lives in Washington, DC.&nbsp;

A Bangladesh court on Monday (Nov 17) convicted ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina to death for crimes against humanity.

A Bangladesh court on Monday (Nov 17) convicted ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina to death for crimes against humanity, marking the end of a months-long trial. The International Crimes Tribunal-1 delivered the verdict as hundreds watched the proceedings on big screens set up by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs across Dhaka. The tribunal stated that Hasina, along with the then Home Minister and Inspector General of Police, collectively committed crimes against humanity. The three-member tribunal, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, found her guilty of ordering a deadly crackdown on a student-led uprising last year. The court said that six people at Chankharpul were killed using “lethal weapons” during the protest on August 5. “Sheikh Hasina has committed crimes against humanity. Six protesters at Chankharpul were killed using lethal weapons on August 5. By issuing orders and through the inaction of Sheikh Hasina, the then Home Minister, and the IG of police, the students were killed. These killings happened under the orders and full knowledge of PM Sheikh Hasina. By such acts, they committed crimes against humanity,” reads the charges. Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam has described the former prime minister as the “mastermind and principal architect” of the alleged atrocities amid the violent protests. Hasina, who is currently in India, has defied the tribunal’s order to return to Bangladesh. The Awami League leader is facing trial on charges of ordering a deadly crackdown against the student-led uprising that led to her ouster last year on August 5. Ahead of the verdict, Hasina’s son and advisor Sajeeb Wazed said that the verdict will not impact his mother. “We know exactly what the verdict is going to be. They’re televising it. They’re going to convict her, and they’ll probably sentence her to death…What can they do to my mother? My mother is safe in India. India is giving her full security,” said Wazed, as quoted by Reuters. He currently lives in Washington, DC.

A Bangladesh court on Monday (Nov 17) convicted ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina to death for crimes against humanity.

Sheikh Hasina sentenced to death: Bangladesh tribunal finds ex-PM guilty of crimes against humanity over student protest crackdown

Hasina, who fled to India after the collapse of her 15-year rule, now faces a possible death sentence as prosecutors successfully argued she authorised mass killings, aerial attacks on civilians and the destruction of evidence during the protests that came to be known as the July Uprising.

Hasina, who fled to India after the collapse of her 15-year rule, now faces a possible death sentence as prosecutors successfully argued she authorised mass killings, aerial attacks on civilians and the destruction of evidence during the protests that came to be known as the July Uprising.

Sheikh Hasina sentenced to death: What are the five charges against the ex–Bangladesh PM?

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