Bangladesh prosecutor says former leader Sheikh Hasina faces execution upon return

Ousted former Bangladeshi leader Sheikh Hasina will face the execution of her death sentence if she returns to the country, according to the prosecutor who secured her conviction.

The Legal Case

Md Aminul Islam stated that the 79-year-old former leader has no legal options left because the deadline to appeal her conviction has passed. Ms. Hasina was sentenced to death in absentia in November 2025 by a court in Dhaka after being found guilty of three counts of crimes against humanity. The charges involved incitement, ordering killings, and failing to prevent atrocities during a 2024 crackdown on protesters that the United Nations says left up to 1,400 people dead. She refused court orders to attend her trial last year and was given a State-appointed lawyer, which she previously dismissed as a joke.

Return Plans And Extradition

Ms. Hasina has stated she plans to return to Bangladesh in December despite knowing she faces being hanged, telling reporters that fear cannot decide her duty to the people. Her lawyers recently asked to renew her passport. However, Mr. Islam noted that passport authorities can refuse to issue documents to individuals convicted of serious crimes, advising her instead to use the extradition treaty between India and Bangladesh. She fled to India by helicopter in August 2024 during a mass uprising that ended her 15-year rule, and her continued stay in India has strained ties between the two neighbours. Bangladesh has already asked India to extradite her, and that request is currently under legal review.

Political Impact

Her planned return poses a major test for the government of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. While many citizens want her hanged, others fear her homecoming could rally her former supporters and spark new clashes between rival groups. Police recently arrested 12 people over petrol bomb attacks targeting property, an empty bus, and police vehicles, though these incidents caused no casualties.

Context

Sheikh Hasina is the daughter of Bangladesh's founding leader and presided over significant economic growth that turned the nation into a global manufacturing hub before her government fell amid widespread protests over human rights abuses and political repression. Extradition treaties allow countries to request the return of fugitive defendants facing serious criminal charges, though diplomatic and legal hurdles often make such processes complex.