Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has claimed the country remains gripped by fear, insecurity and economic hardship under the Bangladesh Nationalist Party government….reports Asia Lite News Desk
ed into fear, insecurity and economic hardship over the past two years despite the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) forming the government, while announcing that she intends to return to the country before the end of the year.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi via an audio link from India, where she has been living in exile for the past two years, Hasina alleged that the BNP came to power through a “rigged election” and said the country’s situation had continued to deteriorate.
“Even after a rigged election brought the BNP to power, the situation did not change. Bangladesh remains in the grip of fear, terror, depression, economic hardship and deep insecurity,” Hasina said.
The former Prime Minister became emotional several times during her address as she reflected on developments in Bangladesh since 2024.
“For the last two years, I watched my beloved Bangladesh suffer… This is not the Bangladesh we built; this is not the Bangladesh for which three million people sacrificed their lives in 1971. Let me begin with the truth about July and August 2024. It was not a peaceful student movement. From the beginning, my government tried to resolve the issue peacefully through dialogue, legal process, and patience. But behind the language of reform, organised groups were working to turn students’ demands into violent political instruments.”
Hasina said her administration had attempted to resolve the protests through dialogue and legal processes, including meetings with student representatives, but alleged that the quota reform movement was transformed into a campaign demanding her resignation.
“I personally took the initiative for dialogue with the students and invited them to Gonobhaban, the Prime Minister’s residence. Three ministers also held discussions with them. A quota reform movement was turned into a one-point demand for my resignation. False propaganda was spread in a planned way. Genuine students were emotionally manipulated while organised groups used their movement as cover for violence and regime change,” she said.
Referring to comments by Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, Hasina claimed his description of the July 2024 protests as a “meticulously designed movement led by a mastermind” supported her allegation that the unrest was organised.
“Muhammad Yunus himself said this was a meticulously designed movement led by a mastermind. His own words expose the truth. It was not simply a spontaneous student protest. There was no visible or responsible leadership. Instructions were given invisibly. It was organised, directed, and used to create a path to power outside the ballot box. From July 15, the character of the movement changed. Killings, arson, attacks, and looting began. State property was destroyed,” she stated.
Hasina also alleged widespread political persecution, claiming that around 10,000 people had been killed or disappeared over the past two years, while 650,000 people had been arrested and 3,500 cases registered. She further claimed that approximately 450,000 Awami League leaders, workers and supporters had been named as accused, with more than one million unnamed accused included in various cases. She also said more than 600 cases had been filed against her.
“Women activists of Chhatra League, a student organisation, youth league, other affiliated organisations are facing abuse, humiliation, torture in custody. Many leaders and workers have also died in prison amid documented accounts of torture, denial of medical treatment, deprivation of food, negligence, and denial of basic rights,” she added.
Hasina further alleged that members of minority communities, judges, lawyers, journalists, intellectuals, cultural figures and ordinary citizens had also faced arrests and legal action.
She claimed that memorials linked to Bangladesh’s 1971 Liberation War had been destroyed and accused the current leadership of attempting to erase the country’s founding history.
“This is an attempt to erase the spirit of the Liberation War from Bangladesh. Muhammad Yunus himself spoke of pressing a reset button to wipe away the country’s previous history. They want to erase the Liberation War, they want to erase Bangabandhu, they want to rewrite Bangladesh against the foundation on which it was born,” she said.
Announcing her plans to return, Hasina said: “The date of my return will be announced later. But I will return to my people.”
She also called for the ban on the Bangladesh Awami League to be lifted, for cases against her and party members to be withdrawn, and for freedom of speech to be restored.
Concluding her address, Hasina said her return was aimed at helping restore development, stability and democratic governance.
“They deserve a state that protects them, an economy that gives them opportunity, and a democracy that gives them rights. My return and the return of the Awami League to the democratic process is not about power. It is about putting Bangladesh back on the right track. It is about reviving the country’s path of development, progress, secularism, and stability. I want to return to Bangladesh for one purpose: to stand beside the people and help improve their lives. The people are the source of all power. I believe in them, I trust them, I love them, and I will return to them,” she said.
