India, June 28 -- Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has declared that she will return to Bangladesh "this year", nearly two years after being ousted from power and taking refuge in India, despite facing a death sentence handed down by a domestic tribunal.

In an interview with NDTV, Hasina rejected the verdict against her, describing it as politically motivated and aimed at weakening her party, the Awami League.

"The verdict against me is not justice. It is part of an illegal, unconstitutional and politically motivated process. The judiciary has been turned into an instrument of political revenge to make the Awami League leaderless," she said.

Expressing confidence about her return, Hasina said she had overcome several assa...