Hasina to return the way she left: New Delhi sets military aircraft and fresh trial conditions

India wants deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina sent back in exactly the way she arrived — aboard a Bangladesh military aircraft. New Delhi wants the Bangladesh army to take responsibility for bringing her home. Alongside that, India wants it ensured that Sheikh Hasina gets the chance to appeal against the death sentence handed down in the case over the July 2024 uprising, and to face a fresh trial. These details have emerged in a recent BBC Bangla report.

According to the report, New Delhi has put forward two main conditions to make Sheikh Hasina's return easier. First, the Bangladesh army must take responsibility for bringing her back. She is to be fetched by sending a military aircraft, because after leaving the country on 5 August 2024 she travelled to India aboard a Bangladeshi military aircraft. Alternatively, army personnel could receive her at a designated point on the land border.

The second condition is that Bangladesh must guarantee an appeal against the death sentence given over the July killings, along with a fresh, transparent trial. A senior official at India's foreign ministry told BBC Bangla: "We cannot knowingly hand her over to be hanged. Rather, we would want her to get the opportunity for a fresh, fair trial." India wants the trial process to be completed under the watch of the international community and world media.

The report says Sheikh Hasina's prolonged stay is becoming increasingly embarrassing for India, both for bilateral relations and on the international stage. India has faced criticism in international circles for sheltering a former leader convicted over a lethal crackdown on protesters.

Indian policymakers had wanted Sheikh Hasina to move to a third country. But despite contacting various countries multiple times, that proved impossible. As a result, India now sees returning home to take part in the legal process as the only realistic path. New Delhi also believes that if Sheikh Hasina does not return, it will be difficult for the Awami League, whose activities remain banned, to stage a political comeback.

An Indian military source said New Delhi wants a guarantee that the Bangladesh army will take responsibility for Sheikh Hasina's protection, so that her security is not at risk after she returns home.

BBC Bangla reported that although Bangladesh formally requested Sheikh Hasina's return in December 2024, India has kept the decision pending, pointing to legal aspects of the extradition treaty. India does not want to put her on a Bangladeshi aircraft as an accused person, because that could send a negative message to allied leaders in neighbouring countries such as Nepal, Sri Lanka or the Maldives.

Talks on the matter have, however, been continuing behind the scenes for the past few months. In the first week of October, Bangladesh's then high commissioner in Delhi, Dinesh Trivedi, held unannounced meetings with Indian prime minister Narendra Modi as well as the country's army chief, General Dhiraj Seth. According to Indian military sources, the meetings were held to ensure the army's active role in Sheikh Hasina's return.

Former Indian army chief General Manoj Pande has publicly stated several times that since July 2024 he has spoken every week with Bangladesh army chief General Waker-uz-Zaman, and that this has continued. The source indicated that India wants this easy, natural relationship between the two armies to be put to use in Sheikh Hasina's return as well.

BBC Bangla claimed that it was after reaching an understanding with the Indian authorities that Sheikh Hasina, in an interview with Reuters, expressed her wish to return home in December 2026.

Indian officials, however, doubt whether Bangladesh's current government, facing internal challenges such as a fuel crisis and garment workers' protests, actually wants Sheikh Hasina back now, since her return could create fresh instability in the country. An official in New Delhi's South Block told BBC Bangla that India consented to the announcement knowing that her return in December would be difficult because the conditions had not been met. In his words: "At least we will then be able to say that Sheikh Hasina herself wanted to return, but it was not possible because Bangladesh kept making excuses."

The BBC Bangla report said the announcement has energised Awami League leaders and activists in Bangladesh. It is believed that even if Sheikh Hasina ultimately cannot return by 31 December, New Delhi will have a new argument at hand for prolonging her stay in India.