NEW YORK, April 19: Former Bangladesh prime minister Sheik Hasina Wajed said on Wednesday that she would defy military government and stick to her plans to return home next week.

In an interview with NYT from Washington, where she was visiting her son, she said: “Why do they want to prevent me from going to my country? It’s my constitutional right. I’m the daughter of the father of our nation.”

Last week, the caretaker military government charged Sheik Hasina with murder in connection with the deaths of 10 people during one of the demonstrations. On Wednesday, the Home Ministry said in a statement that “special security measures regarding Hasina’s return to the country” had been taken. Sheik Hasina said she was innocent and prepared to answer the charges in court.

Sheik Hasina’s father, Sheik Mujibur Rahman, was the leader of the Bangladesh when it sought independence in 1971. Sheik Hasina said she would leave Washington late on Wednesday for London, and would leave for Dhaka on Monday. She said she had offered to return home last week to face the charges against her, but was told by government officials not to rush.

The Times said the country’s caretaker government seemed to be at work on an exile-for-clemency deal with Sheik Hasina’s rival, Khaleda Zia. One of Mrs Zia’s sons, detained on a corruption charge, was released from custody earlier this week in what appeared to be an effort to persuade her to go into exile.