Ousted Bangladeshi leader Sheikh Hasina says she intends to return to Bangladesh despite receiving a death sentence from a court there while living in exile. Her remarks came during a speech marking the second anniversary of her removal from power.
Hasina fled Bangladesh by helicopter after nearly two months of protests in 2024. According to the United Nations, the unrest left nearly 1,400 people dead, making the upheaval one of the country's deadliest political crises in recent years.
The speech was described as Hasina's first public address since she left the country. By vowing to go back, she signaled that she does not accept political exile as the final chapter of her career, even as she faces one of the most severe legal outcomes possible at home.
Her statement brings renewed attention to the fallout from the 2024 protests, the court case against her, and the broader uncertainty surrounding Bangladesh's political future. Any move toward a return would likely deepen scrutiny of both the legal process and the country's still-volatile political landscape.
