Sheikh Hasina Will Be Arrested and Jailed Upon Return to Bangladesh, Says Chief Prosecutor

Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will be arrested and sent to prison immediately if she returns to Bangladesh, as a death sentence remains in force against her, according to Md. Aminul Islam, Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT).

Speaking to reporters at his office on Sunday, the chief prosecutor said the Bangladesh government has formally requested the Indian government to return Sheikh Hasina to the country.

He stated that if Sheikh Hasina is under the control of the Indian authorities, she cannot return to Bangladesh on her own. According to him, she would have to be handed over under an extradition agreement or returned through another legal process.

Referring to reports that Sheikh Hasina and members of her party would return together and surrender, Aminul Islam said such claims have "no factual basis," arguing that she is not currently in a position to move independently.

The chief prosecutor further alleged that such statements are intended to encourage her party supporters or create political instability.

Addressing the possibility of an appeal against the death sentence, he said Section 21(3) of the International Crimes Tribunal Act stipulates that no appeal may be filed after the prescribed 30-day period.

He added that if Sheikh Hasina is brought back to Bangladesh or otherwise found within the country's jurisdiction, she would first be taken into custody. The question of whether she retains any legal right to appeal would then be determined through the judicial process. If no appeal is legally admissible, the existing sentence would remain in force; if an appeal is allowed, the matter would proceed in accordance with the court's final ruling.