Bangladesh: “Sheikh Hasina to return soon as PM,” claims her US-based aide
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Amid ongoing anti-Hindu violence, Muslim extremists’ demands for the establishment of a Caliphate, mounting Pakistani influence, and multiple crises faced by Nobel Peace Prize-turned-Islamist Muhammad Yunus, a close associate of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed has said she is set to return to her homeland soon to lead it again.
Mass protests, led by Islamists over the quota system in Bangladesh for the descendants of the 1971 Liberation War, forced democratically-elected Sheikh Hasina to resign in August 2024 and flee to India as violence escalated. An interim government, led by Yunus and controlled by Islamists, took over the reins of the country which was a silver line among developing economies until then.
Bangladesh, where the Islamists razed to the ground the country’s founder Sheikh Mujibur Rehman’s statues and museums, has since done everything against the Hasina supporters and the Awami League leaders, jailed many on trumped-up charges, and sought her extradition from India.
Sheikh Hasina now faces numerous legal challenges. Over 84 cases have been filed against her, including 70 murder charges and eight related to crimes against humanity and genocide. These allegations stem from her government’s handling of protests, which resulted in hundreds of deaths and widespread violence.
However, now she is set to make a political comeback as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, according to Rabbi Alam, Vice-President of the United States (US) branch of her political party, the Awami League, the media reported on Thursday.
“Sheikh Hasina is coming back as the Prime Minister. The younger generation has made a mistake, but that’s not their fault; they have been manipulated…,” Alam was quoted as saying.
A close associate of the ousted PM, Alam dismissed the legitimacy of the current government, led by Yunus as Chief Advisor to the Interim Government. “We want to ask the Bangladesh Advisor to step down and go back to where he came from… Sheikh Hasina is coming back as the Prime Minister.
Alam described the situation in Bangladesh as critical, urging global attention. “Bangladesh is under attack, and it needs to be addressed by the international community. A political uprising is fine, but that is not what has been going on in Bangladesh. This is a terrorist uprising,” Alam said.
Expressing gratitude to India, Alam acknowledged the support New Delhi extended to Hasina. “Many of our leaders are sheltered in India, and we are very thankful to the Indian government for providing the alignment. I also thank PM Narendra Modi for providing a safe travel passage for our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. We are thankful to the people of India,” he said.
Sheikh Hasina left Bangladesh last year amid violent protests over civil service hiring policies, seeking refuge in India. Following her removal, an interim government led by Muhammad Yunus took charge. Yunus also indicated that the former PM was facing trials for alleged crimes against humanity.
Amid ongoing political tensions, a Dhaka court recently ordered seizure of her residence, ‘Sudhasadan’, in Dhanmondi, Dhaka, along with properties of her family members, including son Sajib Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed Putul, and sister Sheikh Rehana. Besides, 124 bank accounts linked to her family were frozen.
In January, Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) issued arrest warrants for Hasina and 10 others, including former Defence Adviser Major General (retired) Tarique Ahmed Siddique and ex-Inspector General of Police Benazir Ahmed, over allegations of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances.
In 2024, when she was re-elected, Bangladesh experienced a significant shift in its political landscape when Sheikh Hasina, who was in power since 2009, fled the country amid widespread protests and violence. The unrest began in July 2024 over a contentious quota system for public sector jobs, escalating into mass Islamist students-led demonstrations that eventually led to the downfall of her government.
As protests intensified, Hasina resigned on August 5, 2024, and fled to India in a military helicopter. Her departure marked the end of her 15-year rule and led to the formation of an interim government, which also faced significant challenges, including rebuilding political consensus and addressing the economic and security crises.
