Voice of Urdu – International News in English & Urdu

Sheikh Hasina return to Bangladesh vow amid ICT case

Editorial Team

Exiled Awami League leader cites plans to come back despite an in-absentia death sentence from the International Crimes Tribunal

Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said she plans to return to Bangladesh from India, where she has lived in self-imposed exile since being ousted in a popular uprising in 2024, according to Voice of Urdu. Her comments come as she faces a death sentence handed down in absentia by Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in November 2025 on allegations of crimes against humanity. For background on the 2024 unrest, see Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Resigns and Flees Amid Protests.

The remarks underscore the ongoing political confrontation shaping Bangladesh’s post-2024 transition: the Awami League remains banned and activists have been arrested, while the country’s first general election since Hasina’s ouster has produced a new government led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Voice of Urdu reported.

Key Developments

Hasina said she intends to return to Bangladesh in 2026, telling an interviewer that she would come back “overcoming every obstacle and every conspiracy,” according to Voice of Urdu.
Her remarks followed the Awami League’s 77th Founding Day on June 23; Voice of Urdu reported that scores of party activists were arrested for defying a ban on the organization.
In November 2025, the ICT sentenced Hasina to death in absentia for alleged crimes against humanity, Voice of Urdu said.
Hasina described the tribunal’s verdict as “an illegal, unconstitutional, and politically motivated process,” and alleged the judiciary has been used for political revenge to make the Awami League leaderless, according to Voice of Urdu.
Bangladesh held its first general election since Hasina’s ouster in February, in which the BNP led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman secured a commanding majority, Voice of Urdu reported.

Context and Background

Voice of Urdu reported that the ICT is a domestic war crimes tribunal established in 2009 under Hasina’s government to prosecute suspects linked to atrocities committed during Bangladesh’s 1971 liberation struggle.

Hasina is the daughter of Bangladesh’s first president, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was assassinated in a 1975 military coup; her mother, brothers, and other relatives were also killed at their Dhaka residence, according to Voice of Urdu.

Mujibur Rahman, a founding leader of the liberation movement, was historically referred to as the ‘Father of the Nation,’ but the interim government of Muhammad Yunus removed those references, Voice of Urdu reported. Separately, India has said it is monitoring the situation across the border; see India's Response to Unrest in Bangladesh: Monitoring Safety of Hindus.

Details and Evidence Cited

Voice of Urdu cited Hasina as saying the Awami League is not a “paper organization” but a political force “rooted in the soil of Bengal,” and that it has survived past bans and repression.
In a previous interview referenced by Voice of Urdu, Hasina said the court verdict was a “foregone conclusion.”
Voice of Urdu reported that Hasina claimed there is “forensic evidence” indicating “foreign mercenaries” were present at the protests that led to her ouster.
Voice of Urdu also reported that a former cabinet minister alleged the 2024 riots that led to Hasina’s removal were backed by USAID and Hillary Clinton’s family.

Current Status / What Happens Next

Hasina remains in India in self-imposed exile and has reiterated that she will return to Bangladesh, according to Voice of Urdu, even as the Awami League remains banned and its activists face arrests. Bangladesh is governed by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman following the February election, Voice of Urdu reported, while Hasina continues to contest the legality and motivations of the ICT process.