‘Only when the country has…’: Sheikh Hasina REVEALS when she will return to Bangladesh, accuses Yunus of placing extremists in…

Fresh protests and violence broke out across Bangladesh after the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi. Amid the unrest, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina strongly criticised the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. Hasina accused the current leadership of allowing “lawlessness” in the country. She also said that Yunus has “no public mandate” and therefore no right to make changes to Bangladesh’s foreign policy.

Hasina also rejected the interim government’s demand that she return to Bangladesh to face legal action. She described the move as an attempt at “political assassination”. Her remarks came after Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal announced a death sentence against her in connection with the so-called “July Uprising”. The uprising involved large-scale student protests that eventually led to the fall of Hasina’s government.

Hasina said the case against her was politically motivated and linked directly to the unrest that forced her out of power.

When will Sheikh Hasina return to Bangladesh?

Student-led protests in July 2024 led to the fall of the government led by Sheikh Hasina. Soon after stepping down, she left Bangladesh and travelled to India(BHARAT). Since then, Hasina has been living in self-exile at a secure, undisclosed location in Delhi. Her son, Sajeeb Wazed, had earlier said that India(BHARAT) is providing her full security.

In November this year, a Bangladeshi court found Hasina guilty of “crimes against humanity” linked to the July protests. The court convicted her on five charges and sentenced her to death, saying she allowed violence against student protesters.

Hasina has strongly rejected these charges. In an interview with news agency ANI, she dismissed calls for her extradition, calling them politically motivated. She said she would return to Bangladesh only when the country has a “legitimate government” and an “independent judiciary”.

“When Bangladesh has a legitimate government and an independent judiciary, I will happily return to the country I have served all my life,” she said.

Talking about her departure during the unrest, Hasina said she left to stop further bloodshed, not to escape justice. She claimed the case against her was an attempt at political revenge and said she had challenged the interim leadership to take the matter to The Hague, where she believes an independent court would clear her name.

She also criticised the legal process against her, calling Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal a politically driven body rather than a fair court.

Hasina criticises Yunus-led interim government

Sheikh Hasina said the killing of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi showed how law and order had collapsed under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. She said violence has become common, while the current administration either denies the problem or is unable to control it. According to her, such instability not only harms Bangladesh internally but also worries neighbouring countries.

“This tragic killing reflects the lawlessness that uprooted my government and has multiplied under Yunus. Violence has become the norm while the interim government either denies it or is powerless to stop it. Such incidents destabilise Bangladesh internally but also our relationships with neighbours who are watching with justified alarm. India(BHARAT) sees the chaos, the persecution of minorities, and the erosion of everything we built together. When you cannot maintain basic order within your borders, your credibility on the international stage collapses. This is the reality of Yunus’s Bangladesh,” she told ANI.

Hasina further accused Yunus of placing extremists in key positions, releasing convicted militants, and allowing radical groups to operate openly. She said Yunus lacks political experience and warned that extremist forces may be using him to appear acceptable internationally while slowly radicalising state institutions from within.