Bangladesh cricket great Shakib Al Hasan, an ally of ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said he is prepared to return home after two years in exile, face criminal charges including murder, and resume his international career if the government guarantees his safety.
The former Bangladesh captain, who served as a lawmaker for Hasina’s Awami League, has been living in the United States since her government was toppled in a student-led uprising in August 2024. Speaking to Reuters from Sri Lanka, where he is playing franchise cricket, the 39-year-old said he still hopes to play a farewell series on home soil before retiring after the 2027 ODI World Cup.
“If I get the clearance from the government that my security will be ensured, I am happy to go back, face the court trial and everything that’s needed to be done,” Shakib told Reuters.
“I know I haven’t done anything.”
Shakib’s case reflects the political fallout following Hasina’s removal from power, with many of her allies facing criminal proceedings and remaining outside Bangladesh. Hasina, who has been living in India, was sentenced to death in absentia over the deadly crackdown on anti-government protests that killed about 1,400 people, according to the United Nations.
She has said she intends to return to Bangladesh in December alongside Awami League colleagues. Shakib said he wanted to return immediately but would also be willing to travel back with Hasina if necessary.
“Whatever the captain says, we follow her,” he said. “I think they will decide it better, and we will follow the instructions given to us.”
Shakib defended his virtual appearance at a Delhi press conference alongside Hasina on Wednesday, after which his unoccupied house in Bangladesh was attacked. He said he had only called for peace and the country’s progress and had no regrets.
He added that, through a lawyer, he had written to Bangladesh’s interior, law and sports ministries, as well as the police under the previous interim administration, requesting that what he described as fabricated charges against him be dropped, but had received no response.
Shakib also said he hoped to speak directly with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman about returning.
Rahman’s office rejected any suggestion of special treatment.
“There is absolutely nothing the current government can do to regain support for Shakib Al Hasan in the heart of people of Bangladesh,” Rahman’s press secretary A.A.M. Saleh said in a statement.
“The domestic laws of Bangladesh apply equally to everyone, regardless of identity or status. In the eyes of the law, Shakib Al Hasan is an accused person, and he must surrender before the courts of Bangladesh to face the judicial process.”
Return attempt aborted
Shakib revealed that he attempted to return to Bangladesh in late 2024 after receiving assurances from the interim government that security arrangements would be in place.
However, while he was in transit, he was instructed to turn back. He landed in Dubai before returning to New York, where he lives with his wife and three children.
“I don’t know what changed in 12 hours,” he said.
A subsequent attempt also failed after he posted a birthday message for Hasina on social media, which he said authorities cited as a reason for preventing his return.
“I don’t understand how that is the criteria for not letting me into Bangladesh,” he said.
Shakib dismissed suggestions that distancing himself from Hasina or the Awami League would improve his chances of returning.
“There is no way I will consider that,” he said.
Looking ahead
Shakib said two criminal cases remain active against him: one alleging involvement in the killing of a protester during the 2024 uprising and another linked to an anti-corruption investigation.
He described the murder allegation as “a laughable case”, noting that it was filed on a day when he was playing a match in Toronto.
He also said his bank accounts had been frozen for the past year and a half pending investigation and that he had not seen his parents, who remain in Bangladesh and have been unable to leave the country.
“It’s been difficult for all of us, but we are surviving,” he said.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding his future, Shakib said he still hopes to finish his international career on his own terms.
“I am feeling good, still enjoying the game, playing well also,” he said.
“But … age is not on my side at this moment, so I cannot wait for too long.”
