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    EYE ON INDIA                                                          AUGUST 14, 2026      |  The Indian Eye                    6

                      Sheikh Hasina’s Return: A Political

             Gamble That Could Reshape Bangladesh

             The former prime minister’s decision to return to Bangladesh in December is more than a personal act of

              defiance—it could become the defining moment in the country’s turbulent post-2024 political transition.

            OUR BUREAU
            Dhaka / New Delhi

                     hen Sheikh Hasina an-
                     nounced from New Delhi
            Wthat she would return to
            Bangladesh in December, despite the
            certainty of arrest and the possibility
            of  imprisonment  or  even  death,  she
            transformed herself from an exiled
            political leader  into the central pro-
            tagonist of Bangladesh’s unfolding
            political drama.
                “I may be jailed. They may kill
            me. But fear cannot decide my duty,”
            she declared in her first public media
            interaction since leaving Bangladesh
            following the collapse of her govern-
            ment in 2024. Whether her supporters
            view those words as courage or her       Bangladesh Awami League leaders during a press conference, in New Delhi on Wednesday (FCCSouthAsia/ ANI Video Grab)
            critics see them as political theatre,
            one fact is undeniable: Hasina has   daughter  of  Bangladesh’s  founding   distance itself carefully from the con-  mance under the current government.
            placed herself back at the center of   leader, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and   troversy.                 While they argue that growth has
            Bangladesh’s politics after nearly two   on the economic transformation that   The Ministry of External Affairs   slowed, investment has weakened and
            years of political exile.         Bangladesh experienced during much   made it clear that the event was orga-  employment conditions have deteri-
                The announcement comes at a   of her tenure. Her supporters argue   nized by a private media organization and   orated, the BNP-led administration
            delicate moment for both Bangladesh   that she delivered sustained econom-  that the Government of India neither   rejects these criticisms and maintains
            and the region. The country has com-  ic growth, infrastructure development   endorsed nor participated in it. The   that it inherited deep structural prob-
            pleted a dramatic political transition.   and improvements in social indicators   clarification  reflects  New  Delhi’s  in-  lems after years of Awami League rule.
            The interim administration led by No-  before her dramatic fall from power.  creasingly delicate diplomatic position.  As with much of Bangladesh’s con-
            bel laureate Muhammad Yunus has       Her critics, however, present an   India’s strategic interests require   temporary politics, competing narra-
            given way to an elected government   equally compelling counter-narrative.   maintaining productive relations with   tives continue to shape public debate.
            headed by Bangladesh Nationalist   They accuse her administration of   whichever government governs Ban-  Perhaps the most striking aspect
            Party (BNP) leader Tarique Rahman   centralizing power, suppressing polit-  gladesh. Since Tarique Rahman’s   of Hasina’s announcement is the lan-
            following the February 2026 elections.   ical opposition, curbing media free-  administration now represents the   guage she chose. Rather than speaking
            Yet political reconciliation remains   doms and undermining democratic   elected  government  in  Dhaka,  New   primarily about legal battles or politi-
            elusive. The Awami League, the par-  institutions. The student-led move-  Delhi has moved to normalize rela-  cal strategy, she framed her return as
            ty that dominated Bangladesh’s poli-  ment that culminated in her removal   tions, even inviting the Bangladeshi   a moral obligation rooted in personal
            tics for over 15 years, remains banned   remains, for many Bangladeshis, a   Prime Minister to attend the upcom-  sacrifice.  By  recalling  her  imprison-
            from electoral politics, many of its   symbol of democratic renewal rather   ing BRICS outreach session in his ca-  ment during the 1971 Liberation War,
            senior leaders face legal proceedings,   than political instability.  pacity as BIMSTEC chair.        the assassination of her family in 1975
            and Hasina herself has been sentenced   That divide explains why her an-  Domestically, Hasina’s announce-  and her years in exile, she sought to
            to death in absentia by Bangladesh’s   nouncement  has  generated  such  po-  ment also raises practical questions.  place her current predicament within
            International Crimes Tribunal over   larized reactions.                 Will she actually be allowed to   the broader arc of Bangladesh’s na-
            charges linked to the violence of 2024.  The  BNP reacted  swiftly, con-  return? If she does, will she be arrest-  tional history.
                Against this backdrop, her prom-  demning not only Hasina’s speech   ed immediately? Could her arrival   Whether that narrative resonates
            ise to return is far more than a person-  but also India’s decision to permit the   trigger fresh political mobilization or   with today’s voters remains uncertain.
            al decision. It is a direct political chal-  virtual interaction from New Delhi.   protests?  Would  international  actors   Bangladesh  has  changed  signifi-
            lenge to the post-Hasina order.   Senior BNP adviser Syed Moazzem   intervene diplomatically if legal pro-  cantly since 2024. A new political
                For the Awami League, which has   Hossain Alal argued that allowing   ceedings become politically contentious?  generation has emerged, shaped by
            struggled to remain politically visible   the address would damage Bangla-  None of these questions currently   the protests that ended Hasina’s long
            since its exclusion from the 2026 elec-  desh-India  relations  and  reiterated   has clear answers.  rule. Yet the former prime minister
            tions, Hasina’s return could provide an   demands  for  Hasina’s  extradition  to   Equally uncertain are the claims   remains one of the country’s most
            emotional rallying point. Her appeal   face justice in Bangladesh.  made by Hasina’s supporters regard-  recognizable and consequential polit-
            continues to rest on her legacy as the   India, meanwhile, has sought to   ing Bangladesh’s economic perfor-  ical figures.

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