Political debate over former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s possible return to Bangladesh intensified on Friday.
National Citizen Party (NCP) leader Nahid Islam called for her return through legal and diplomatic channels to enforce the court verdict against her, while opposition leader Shafiqur Rahman questioned whether she would return at all.
Speaking to reporters at the Chattogram Circuit House after visiting flood-affected areas in the district, Shafiqur Rahman said Sheikh Hasina had once pledged never to leave Bangladesh but later did so.
“She had said she would never leave the country. She did. Now she says she will return, but she will not,” he said.
Meanwhile, addressing a discussion and award ceremony marking International MSME Day 2026 at the Institution of Diploma Engineers in Dhaka’s Kakrail, Nahid referred to reports that Sheikh Hasina was planning to return to the country later this year.
“We recently saw an interview in which it was said that she plans to return to the country in December. Our position is that the country has already suffered 16 years of destruction. If she returns, it should only be for the execution of the death sentence,” Nahid said.
He said the government should complete the necessary diplomatic and legal procedures to bring Sheikh Hasina back to Bangladesh.
“The verdict has already been delivered. It is now the government’s responsibility to bring her back through the appropriate legal and diplomatic process and enforce the court’s verdict,” he said.
Responding to questions from reporters after the programme, Nahid said the Bangladesh government would decide how and when Sheikh Hasina would return, including whether she would surrender.
“The government will discuss the matter with India. There is no third party involved. It is for the government to decide when and how she will be brought back and how the court’s verdict will be enforced,” he said.
Nahid further claimed that Sheikh Hasina’s public statements were influenced by New Delhi and said any future developments regarding her return and legal proceedings would depend on diplomatic and political understanding between Dhaka and New Delhi.
He said those who participated in the July uprising remained prepared to face any political situation to protect the country’s independence, sovereignty and economic interests.
Warning against any attempt to create political instability centred on Sheikh Hasina or the Awami League, Nahid said such efforts, if tolerated by the government, would ultimately backfire on the government itself.
Referring to legal proceedings against the Awami League, he said the government was considering bringing the party itself to trial, describing it as the appropriate course of action.
Entrepreneurs from across the country attended the MSME Day programme, where successful small and medium-sized enterprise owners were honoured and issues affecting the sector were discussed.
