Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced she would only consider returning to her country following the restoration of “participatory democracy”. In an exclusive email interview with PTI from an undisclosed location in India, she outlined her conditions for return including the lifting of the ban on her party, Awami League, and the conduct of free and fair elections.
Hasina expressed gratitude towards the Indian government for sheltering her. “I am immensely grateful to India’s government and its people for their kind hospitality,” she stated, highlighting the significance of India in the current regional context.
“The most important condition for my return to Bangladesh is the same condition that the Bangladeshi people require: a return to participatory democracy,” she emphasized, calling for the interim government to enable the Awami League to participate in upcoming elections.
Sheikh Hasina, who became Bangladesh’s longest-serving leader, left her country on August 5, 2024, amidst violent anti-government protests that led to her resignation. Reflecting on the crisis, the 78-year-old acknowledged her government’s loss of control over the situation and attributed the unrest to “seasoned political firebrands masquerading as student leaders.”
When asked about calls for a boycott of the February elections, Hasina rebuffed the notion, asserting that any election excluding the Awami League would not carry legitimacy. “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,” she stated.
Hasina did not hold back her criticism of the current interim government, led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus. She accused Yunus of jeopardizing Bangladesh’s relationship with India, noting that his approach appears chaotic and dependent on extremist forces. “Yunus’ hostility to India is foolish and self-defeating… He is unelected, chaotic, and reliant on extremist support,” she remarked, cautioning that Yunus’s missteps could lead to irreversible damage to the strategic partnership between Bangladesh and India.
To reassure Indian citizens concerned by the political turmoil in Bangladesh, Hasina declared, “The interim government doesn’t represent what our people think. India is and will remain our nation’s most important friend.” Her statement underscores the enduring importance of India-Bangladesh relations amidst the current political crisis.
In a bid to further distance herself from the political tensions, Hasina expressed her willingness to stand trial under international oversight, including potential proceedings at the International Criminal Court (ICC). She accused Yunus of evading justice, declaring, “an impartial tribunal would acquit me.”
Hasina dismissed the Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal, which has issued a death penalty request against her, referring to it as a “kangaroo tribunal”. She claimed that the political forces opposing her seek to eliminate the Awami League entirely. “The fact that they would use the death penalty to silence opponents shows how little respect they have for democracy or due process,” she stated, revealing the lengths to which the interim government might go.
She also suggested that Yunus initially garnered passive support from Western liberals. However, she believes that support is waning as they witness changes in his governance, which are increasingly characterized by radical appointments and diminishing respect for constitutional norms.
