Top News

Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will be arrested the moment she returns to the country from India, Bangladesh Law Minister M Asaduzzaman said on Thursday.

His remarks came a day after Hasina told news agency AFP that she was determined to return to Bangladesh by December despite fearing for her life.

"I may be killed. I may be arrested. I may be sent to prison ... I am fully aware of my fate. Still, I want to go back because my people are calling me," she was quoted as saying.

Minister Says Arrest Could Come Before Court Appearance

Asaduzzaman said Hasina, who was sentenced to death in November 2025, may not even get an opportunity to surrender before a court before being taken into custody.

The former Prime Minister, who is living in exile, had also told NDTV in an exclusive interview last month that she was determined to return to Bangladesh, "overcoming every obstacle and every conspiracy".

The minister said Hasina had the right to return as a Bangladeshi citizen but stressed that the law would be enforced.

"Despite being a death penalty convict, being a Bangladeshi citizen, if she intends to surrender showing respect to the law by returning home, perhaps she will be arrested before she could do so," Asaduzzaman told reporters.

"We will exercise the authority that the law has given us."

He added, "The law will take its own course and we will do nothing violating the law."

Passport Revoked By Interim Government

Hasina's passport was revoked by the interim government that came to power after her ouster in 2024.

When asked how she could return without a valid passport, Asaduzzaman said, "It is her problem, not mine."

"(But) whenever she enters into our territory, I will enforce the authority that the law has reposed upon me," he added.

Living In Exile Since 2024

Sheikh Hasina has been living in exile in India since 2024 after her government was toppled during violent student-led protests in Bangladesh.

A year later, the International Crimes Tribunal sentenced her to death in absentia after convicting her of crimes against humanity for her role in the crackdown on student protesters.

Hasina has described the verdict as "political vengeance dressed up as law".

International Concerns Over Trial

International human rights organisations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have described the proceedings as "flawed", while the UN human rights office has questioned the fairness of the trial.

Extradition Request Under Examination

Earlier this year, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party came to power following elections, with Tarique Rahman assuming office as the new prime minister.

Dhaka has been seeking Hasina's extradition while she remains at a secret location in India.

New Delhi has acknowledged the extradition request and said it is "under examination".