NEW DELHI: Sheikh Hasina, the long-time leader of Bangladesh, had not resigned as prime minister before fleeing to India last week amid large-scale anti-government protests, according to her son.
Her son and adviser, Sajeeb Wazed, confirmed to Reuters that Hasina has been sheltering in New Delhi since Monday after an uprising resulted in the death of around 300 people, many of them students, thus ending her 15-year continuous rule in the country with a population of 170 million.
“My mother never officially resigned. She didn’t get the time,” Wazed said from Washington. “She had planned to make a statement and submit her resignation. But then the protesters started marching on the prime minister’s residence. And there was no time. My mother wasn’t even packed. As far as the constitution goes, she is still the prime minister of Bangladesh.”
According to Wazed, the president of Bangladesh dissolved the parliament after consultations with military chiefs and opposition politicians. However, he pointed out that the establishment of a caretaker government without Hasina’s formal resignation “can be challenged in court.”
Regarding future political participation, Wazed told Reuters, “I’m confident the Awami League will come to power. If not, we will be the opposition. Either way is fine.” He reassured that Hasina’s Awami League party would contest the upcoming election, which is required to take place within three months.
Wazed noted a conciliatory tone from the main opposition leader Khaleda Zia, head of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). “I was very happy to hear Mrs. Khaleda Zia’s statement that let bygones be bygones. Let’s forget the past. Let us not pursue the politics of vengeance. We are going to have to work together, whether it’s a unity government or not.”
Wazed further expressed a willingness to collaborate with the BNP to ensure fair democratic processes in Bangladesh. He said, “I am willing to work with the BNP … to have democratic elections in Bangladesh and restore democracy and to work with them to ensure that going forward, we have peaceful democracy where there will be free and fair elections.”
“I believe that politics and negotiations are very important. We can argue. We can agree to disagree. And we can always find a compromise,” he added.
When asked about his ambitions, Wazed hinted at the possibility of leading the Awami League but noted that such a decision would be subject to party consensus. “My mother was going to retire after this term anyway. If the party wants me to, maybe. I will definitely consider it.”
Wazed confirmed that Hasina was prepared to return to Bangladesh and face trial, a demand put forth by the students leading the protests. “The threat of arrest has never scared my mother before. My mother has done nothing wrong. Just because people in her government did illegal things, did not mean my mother ordered it. That does not mean my mother is responsible for that.”
Addressing the responsibility for the violence during protests, Wazed stated that shooting orders were not issued by Hasina. ”A government is a big, big machinery. Those who are responsible, they should be brought to justice. My mother absolutely did not order anyone to commit violence against the protesters. The police were trying to stop the violence, but some police officers used excessive force.”
He also assured that Hasina had tried to control the violence. “Our government immediately, and I was part of those conversations, I also told my mother, we need to immediately tell (our students wing) not to attack, stop the violence. We suspended the police officers that shot at students. We did everything we could,” he claimed.
Asserting his personal rights and the political significance of the Awami League, he said, “I have never done anything illegal. So, how is anyone going to stop me? The political parties are not going anywhere. You cannot wipe us out. Without our help, without our supporters, you are not going to be able to bring stability to Bangladesh.”
Her son and adviser, Sajeeb Wazed, confirmed to Reuters that Hasina has been sheltering in New Delhi since Monday after an uprising resulted in the death of around 300 people, many of them students, thus ending her 15-year continuous rule in the country with a population of 170 million.
“My mother never officially resigned. She didn’t get the time,” Wazed said from Washington. “She had planned to make a statement and submit her resignation. But then the protesters started marching on the prime minister’s residence. And there was no time. My mother wasn’t even packed. As far as the constitution goes, she is still the prime minister of Bangladesh.”
According to Wazed, the president of Bangladesh dissolved the parliament after consultations with military chiefs and opposition politicians. However, he pointed out that the establishment of a caretaker government without Hasina’s formal resignation “can be challenged in court.”
Regarding future political participation, Wazed told Reuters, “I’m confident the Awami League will come to power. If not, we will be the opposition. Either way is fine.” He reassured that Hasina’s Awami League party would contest the upcoming election, which is required to take place within three months.
Wazed noted a conciliatory tone from the main opposition leader Khaleda Zia, head of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). “I was very happy to hear Mrs. Khaleda Zia’s statement that let bygones be bygones. Let’s forget the past. Let us not pursue the politics of vengeance. We are going to have to work together, whether it’s a unity government or not.”
Wazed further expressed a willingness to collaborate with the BNP to ensure fair democratic processes in Bangladesh. He said, “I am willing to work with the BNP … to have democratic elections in Bangladesh and restore democracy and to work with them to ensure that going forward, we have peaceful democracy where there will be free and fair elections.”
“I believe that politics and negotiations are very important. We can argue. We can agree to disagree. And we can always find a compromise,” he added.
When asked about his ambitions, Wazed hinted at the possibility of leading the Awami League but noted that such a decision would be subject to party consensus. “My mother was going to retire after this term anyway. If the party wants me to, maybe. I will definitely consider it.”
Wazed confirmed that Hasina was prepared to return to Bangladesh and face trial, a demand put forth by the students leading the protests. “The threat of arrest has never scared my mother before. My mother has done nothing wrong. Just because people in her government did illegal things, did not mean my mother ordered it. That does not mean my mother is responsible for that.”
Addressing the responsibility for the violence during protests, Wazed stated that shooting orders were not issued by Hasina. ”A government is a big, big machinery. Those who are responsible, they should be brought to justice. My mother absolutely did not order anyone to commit violence against the protesters. The police were trying to stop the violence, but some police officers used excessive force.”
He also assured that Hasina had tried to control the violence. “Our government immediately, and I was part of those conversations, I also told my mother, we need to immediately tell (our students wing) not to attack, stop the violence. We suspended the police officers that shot at students. We did everything we could,” he claimed.
Asserting his personal rights and the political significance of the Awami League, he said, “I have never done anything illegal. So, how is anyone going to stop me? The political parties are not going anywhere. You cannot wipe us out. Without our help, without our supporters, you are not going to be able to bring stability to Bangladesh.”
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