Sheikh Hasina secured her third consecutive term and fourth overall in the general elections, with the Awami League winning 288 of the 300 parliamentary seats. The election faced criticism for being "farcical," as stated by opposition leader Kamal Hossain and echoed by Human Rights Watch, other rights organizations, and The New York Times editorial board, which questioned the necessity of vote-rigging given Hasina's likely win without it. The BNP, having boycotted the 2014 elections, won only eight seats, marking its weakest opposition performance since 1991.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hasina inaugurated the new headquarters for the Bangladesh Post Office, Dak Bhaban, in May 2021, calling for further development of the postal service and its digital transformation. In January 2022, her government passed a law establishing the Universal Pension Scheme for all Bangladeshi citizens aged 18 to 60.

Bangladesh's external debt reached $95.86 billion by the end of the fiscal year 2021–22, a significant increase from 2011, alongside massive irregularities in the banking sector. In July 2022, the Finance Ministry sought fiscal assistance from the IMF due to depleting foreign-exchange reserves, resulting in a $4.7 billion support programme by January 2023 to help stabilize the economy.

Anti-government protests in December 2022 highlighted public discontent with rising costs and demanded Hasina's resignation. That same month, Hasina launched the first phase of Dhaka Metro Rail, Bangladesh's first mass-rapid transit system.

During the 2023 G20 New Delhi summit, Hasina met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss diversifying cooperation between India and Bangladesh. The summit also served as a platform for Hasina to engage with other global leaders, enhancing Bangladesh's international relations.