Ousted former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced she will only return to her country once there is a restoration of “participatory democracy” and the bans on her party, the Awami League, are lifted. In an exclusive email interview with PTI from an undisclosed location in India, Hasina criticized the interim government led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus for harming bilateral ties with India and fueling extremist forces.
Grateful for India’s refuge, Hasina expressed her appreciation: “I am immensely grateful to India’s government and its people for their kind hospitality,” she stated. She emphasized that her return to Bangladesh depends on the same conditions desired by most Bangladeshi citizens.
Hasina declared, “The most important condition for my return to Bangladesh is the same condition that the Bangladeshi people require: a return to participatory democracy.” She reiterated the interim government must ensure free, fair, and inclusive elections.
The 78-year-old political veteran left Bangladesh on August 5, 2024, after weeks of escalating anti-government protests led to her resignation. When questioned about her administration’s handling of the protests, Hasina acknowledged, “Obviously, we lost control of the situation and that was regrettable,” attributing the unrest to “seasoned political firebrands masquerading as student leaders.”
Addressing reports linking her to an election boycott scheduled for February 2025, Hasina rejected such claims. She stated that any elections excluding the Awami League would lack legitimacy, emphasizing, “Tens of millions of people support us…. It would be a huge missed opportunity for a country that badly needs a government with genuine consent of the people.”
In a scathing evaluation of Dr. Yunus, Hasina accused him of displaying “hostility towards India,” potentially undermining Bangladesh’s crucial strategic partnership with its neighbor. She remarked, “Yunus’ hostility to India is foolish and self-defeating… He is unelected, chaotic, and dependent on extremist forces.” This statement reflects her concern that Yunus’s diplomatic errors could adversely impact Bangladesh’s relations with India, a key ally.
Reassuring Indian citizens who may feel unsettled by recent developments in Bangladesh, Hasina affirmed, “The interim government doesn’t represent what our people think. India is and will remain our nation’s most important friend.”
Willing to stand trial under international supervision, including at the International Criminal Court (ICC), Hasina claimed Yunus avoids scrutiny because an impartial tribunal would vindicate her. The former prime minister criticized the Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal, which seeks the death penalty against her, as a “kangaroo tribunal” aimed at politically neutralizing her and the Awami League.
Hasina noted, “They want to eliminate us as political forces. The fact that they would use the death penalty to silence opponents shows how little respect they have for democracy or due process.” Furthermore, she indicated that Yunus initially gained from “passive support of some Western liberals,” yet this backing appears to dwindle as they recognize his reliance on radicals and dismissal of constitutional norms.
