Toppled Bangladesh leader Sheikh Hasina to speak today: What we can expect

Sheikh Hasina, former prime minister of Bangladesh, is planning to return to her homeland in December, despite the threat of the death penalty. The 78-year-old leader denies the charges against her, which include crimes against humanity and ordering lethal force against protesters. Hasina was tried in absentia after fleeing to India during an anti-government uprising in 2024.

In an audio broadcast to a press club in Delhi, Hasina stated that she had to return to Bangladesh, but did not disclose her exact plans or dates. Her Awami League party has been struggling, and Indian officials have pressured to extradite her following a death sentence from a special tribunal in Dhaka for her role in the violent 2024 protests.

Hasina's virtual meeting with reporters in Delhi was her first with the media since being ousted. She claimed that several organizations had turned the protests into a violent movement, without presenting any evidence. She has consistently denied the charges as politically motivated. However, UN investigators found evidence of systematic and deadly violence by her government during the protests.

Audio recordings verified by BBC Eye show Hasina authorizing the crackdown on demonstrators, which prosecutors used as key evidence in her conviction.

The UN estimates that up to 1,400 people were killed during the protests, primarily by security forces' gunfire. The 78-year-old leader fled Dhaka as thousands of demonstrators stormed government buildings, plunging the country into crisis. After her ousting, an interim government took charge, and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party won the elections in February, with Tarique Rahman as prime minister.

Hasina's presence in Delhi has strained relations with Bangladesh, which wants her extradited. India is currently examining her request. Bangladesh's interim government expressed outrage at India allowing Hasina to participate in a public meeting with the media, stating that the nation would never return to dark days of fascism and would not become a client state.

The risk for Hasina is high if she returns to Bangladesh, as she would likely be arrested immediately. Supporters of the ruling BNP, the Awami League, nationalist parties, Islamists, and others could hold rallies demanding her execution. The Awami League's activities were banned after she fled, and they were barred from participating in the February general election. If she does not return, the violence against her party's supporters is expected to continue, according to former minister Mohammad Ali Arafat.