Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced plans to return from exile in India this December. She faces a death sentence in Bangladesh for her alleged role in a brutal crackdown on protesters in 2024.

During an audio address at an event in New Delhi, Hasina emphasized her commitment to return voluntarily despite her conviction in absentia for crimes against humanity. Marking the second anniversary of the uprising that overthrew her government, she highlighted her sense of duty to the Bangladeshi people.

“I know that they may put me in jail, or they may kill me,” Hasina said. “Fear cannot decide my duty to the people.”

Bangladesh responded sharply, voicing outrage over Hasina’s media engagement in New Delhi. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that her actions harmed relations between Bangladesh and India.

“This interaction by Sheikh Hasina on Indian soil is an affront to the sovereignty of Bangladesh,” the Ministry stated, citing the symbolism of the event on the anniversary of the July Revolution.

Hasina fled to India in 2024 after student protests forced her from power, living in exile since. A Bangladeshi court sentenced her to death in 2025 for allegedly ordering a crackdown that, according to a UN report, resulted in nearly 1,400 deaths. Hasina denies these allegations.

Bangladesh has sought her extradition, which India has so far refused. During Hasina’s address, she called for the lifting of the ban on her Awami League party and the release of political prisoners.

Meanwhile, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurated a memorial museum dedicated to the 2024 uprising. The July Mass Uprising Memorial Museum is located in Hasina’s former official residence in Dhaka.

The museum project, initiated by interim Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus, documents the uprising with audio and video exhibits. It shows personal items of those killed and newspaper clippings, along with claims of political repression under Hasina’s 15-year rule.

Rahman, son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, assumed power after winning a large victory in February. The election, supervised by Yunus’ interim administration, barred Hasina’s Awami League from participation.