'Sheikh Hasina to return as Bangladesh PM', hints US Awami League leader

Mass protests over the quota system in Bangladesh forced Sheikh Hasina to resign in August 2024 and flee to India amid escalating violence. An interim government then took over the reins

Sheikh Hasina is set to make a political comeback as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, according to Rabbi Alam, Vice-President of the United States (USA) Awami League. 

“Sheikh Hasina is coming back as the Prime Minister. The young generation has made a mistake, but that’s not their fault, they have been manipulated...,” Alam said in an interview with news agency ANI.   

A close associate of the ousted Bangladeshi leader, Alam dismissed the legitimacy of the current government under Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus. “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. The young generation has made a mistake, but that's not their fault; they have been manipulated,” he said. 

 

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.  

Bangladesh Awami League leader thanks India 

Expressing gratitude to India, Alam acknowledged the support extended to Hasina. “Many of our leaders are sheltered here 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.   

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 has since sought Hasina’s extradition from India, recently stating that there had been “no official response” to these requests. He also indicated that the former prime minister was facing trials for alleged crimes against humanity.   

Amid ongoing political tensions, a Dhaka court issued an order to seize Sheikh Hasina’s residence, ‘Sudhasadan’, in Dhanmondi, along with properties belonging to her family members, including son Sajib Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed Putul, and sister Sheikh Rehana. Additionally, 124 bank accounts linked to her family were frozen.   

The order was issued by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Zakir Hossain Ghalib following a petition from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).   

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.  

 

Political crisis in Bangladesh

 

Last year, Bangladesh experienced a significant shift in its political landscape when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who had been in power since 2009, fled the country amidst widespread protests and violence. The unrest began in July 2024 over a contentious quota system for public sector jobs, escalating into mass student-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 headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. The new government faced significant challenges, including rebuilding political consensus and addressing the economic and security crises. 

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.