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Will Bangladesh’s Hasina face the hangman?

Bangladesh wants former Prime Minister Hasina to hang, waits on India to formally respond to extradition request.

History Illustrated is a series of perspectives that puts news events and current affairs into historical context, using graphics generated with artificial intelligence.

To describe the disgraced former leader of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, one might call her, at the very least, complicated. Once a pro-democracy advocate, a driver of the economy, she morphed into an authoritarian accused of vast corruption. Now sentenced to death, there is, for some, a desire to see Hasina hang. — To describe the disgraced former leader of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, one might call her, at the very least, complicated. Once a pro-democracy advocate, a driver of the economy, she morphed into an alleged authoritarian accused of vast corruption. Now sentenced to death, there is, for some, a desire to see Hasina hang.

Born in 1947 in what was then East Pakistan, Hasina is the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led Bangladesh’s fight for independence against Pakistan in 1971.

In 1990, Hasina joined her rival, Khaleda Zia of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), to lead a popular uprising that ousted military ruler Hussain Muhammad Ershad. — In 1990, Hasina joined her rival, Khaleda Zia of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), to lead a popular uprising that toppled military ruler Hussain Muhammad Ershad.

Hasina became prime minister in 1996 under the Awami League party before losing to Zia in 2001. She was re-elected in 2008. She won again in 2014, in a vote boycotted by the main opposition. And in 2018 she won despite vote-rigging allegations. That same year, Zia was imprisoned for corruption. (She was acquitted in January 2025, after Hasina was forced from office.) — Hasina became prime minister in 1996 under the Awami League party before losing to Zia in 2001. She was re-elected in 2008. She won again in 2014, in a vote boycotted by the main opposition. And, in 2018, she won despite vote-rigging allegations. That same year, Zia was imprisoned for corruption. (She was acquitted in January 2025, after Hasina was forced from office.)

Since 2009, the economy under Hasina grew an average of more than 6 percent a year, the garment industry a mainstay.

But her tenure was marred by accusations she used her security forces, including the Rapid Action Battalion, to abduct and kill opposition members and dissenters. In 2021, the US sanctioned the RAB, accusing them of hundreds of disappearances and extrajudicial killings. Hasina has denied any role. — But her tenure was marred by accusations she used her security forces, including the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), to abduct and kill opposition members and dissenters. In 2021, the US sanctioned the RAB, accusing it of hundreds of disappearances and extrajudicial killings. Hasina has denied any role.

In July 2024, student protests over a government work project transformed into an uprising. The UN says more than 1,400 protesters were killed, mainly by security forces.

On August 5, 2024, Hasina resigned and escaped to India in a military helicopter. She’s since been convicted, in absentia, of crimes against humanity and sentenced to hang. Bangladesh’s interim government asked India in December 2024 to extradite her, but there’s been no formal response. They asked again on November 21, 2025. Whether Hasina will ever face justice is anyone’s guess.

Today, Bangladesh’s interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel Prize economist, says more than $230bn disappeared from government coffers during Hasina’s years in office. The next general election is expected in early 2026, at which point whoever takes office will likely want to test India’s resolve for keeping Hasina safe.

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