Who is Sheikh Hasina and why are there mass protests in Bangladesh?

WorldPolitics
11 Nov 2026 • 5:59 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Who is Sheikh Hasina and why are there mass protests in Bangladesh?

  • Supporters of Bangladesh's ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina have staged violent protests across the country to demand her return from exile in India.
  • Ms Hasina requested a Bangladeshi passport to return by December despite facing arrest or execution for crimes against humanity, a sentence she claims is politically motivated.
  • The Bangladeshi government rejected her passport request and demanded her extradition from India under an existing treaty, calling her a fugitive criminal.
  • Chief prosecutor Md Aminul Islam stated Ms Hasina would face execution upon return as the 30-day deadline to appeal her death sentence has expired.
  • Six British politicians have urged the UK government to secure legally binding guarantees from Bangladesh against her execution, torture, or political violence.

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