Convicted dictator Sheikh Hasina’s political future is currently at its most precarious point since she first entered politics in the 1980s. Following her ouster in August 2024, she remains in exile in India, while her domestic standing has been dismantled by a series of severe legal and political blows.
As of February 2026, here is the breakdown of her current status and future outlook:
Death Sentence and Imprisonment
Hasina’s legal challenges are catastrophic. Since fleeing to India, she has been tried in absentia for her role in the 2024 student-led uprising:
In November 2025, the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh found her guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced her to death.
Just this week (February 2, 2026), a Dhaka court sentenced her to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment across two corruption cases involving government land allocation. This follows a separate 21-year sentence handed down in late 2025 for other financial irregularities.
She is currently the subject of an active arrest warrant by the ICT, and the Bangladeshi government has formally requested her extradition from India.
2026 Elections: Banned and Sidelined
Bangladesh is scheduled to hold its first post-revolution general election on February 12, 2026.
Her party, the Awami League (AL), has been suspended from participating in these elections. The interim government under Muhammad Yunus and the Election Commission have cited the party’s role in the 2024 violence as the reason for its exclusion.
With the AL barred, Hasina has no formal path to return to power through the ballot box in the immediate future. She has reportedly issued messages from India calling on supporters to “overthrow the Yunus regime,” but her ability to mobilize at scale within Bangladesh is heavily restricted.
Hasina is currently living in a secure, undisclosed location in Delhi. While India has traditionally been her strongest ally, her presence has become a major diplomatic “sore point” between Dhaka and New Delhi.
India has so far declined to extradite her, citing the “political character” of the offenses. However, analysts suggest that if a new democratically elected government takes power after the February 12 polls, India may feel increased pressure to facilitate her move to a third country (such as in the Middle East or Eastern Europe) to normalize relations with Bangladesh.
The Awami League is facing a generational and leadership crisis. While some loyalists in Kolkata and Delhi claim she will “return a hero,” the party is effectively leaderless on the ground. Several of her family members, including her son Sajeeb Wazed and niece Tulip Siddiq (a UK MP), have also been sentenced to prison terms in absentia by Bangladeshi courts, further complicating any dynastic succession.
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