Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh’s longest-serving prime minister and one of the most influential figures in South Asian politics, has experienced a turbulent political journey marked by both triumph and controversy. Rising to prominence as Awami League leader in 1981 while in exile in India, she went on to become the country’s first female opposition leader and later prime minister in 1996. Her tenure saw major developments such as the Padma Bridge and Metro Rail projects, but was also marred by allegations of corruption, authoritarianism, and human rights abuses. The abolition of the caretaker government system and disputed elections in 2014, 2018, and 2024 deepened political divisions. Violent crackdowns on protests, including the 2024 quota reform movement that left hundreds dead, ultimately led to her downfall. Facing mass uprisings, Hasina fled to India in August 2024 and was later sentenced to death for crimes against humanity. Analysts remain divided on whether she could ever return to Bangladesh’s political stage.