9-8-2024 (NEW DELHI) Sheikh Hasina, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh who recently fled to India amidst political turmoil, will return to her homeland once a new caretaker government sets a date for elections, according to her son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy. However, uncertainty looms over whether Hasina will participate as a candidate in the upcoming polls.
Hasina’s departure on 5 August followed weeks of intense protests that ultimately led to her resignation. The installation of a caretaker government, led by Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus, took place on Thursday, with the primary mandate of organising fresh elections.
In an exclusive interview with the Times of India, Joy, who is currently based in the United States, stated, “For the time being, she is in India. She will go back to Bangladesh the moment the interim government decides to hold an election.” The 76-year-old former premier is reportedly staying in a secure location in the New Delhi area.
Joy’s comments shed light on the potential political future of his mother, revealing that Hasina had initially planned to retire from politics after her current term. “My mother would have retired from politics after the current term,” he disclosed. However, recent events have prompted a shift in family dynamics, with Joy himself stepping into a more prominent role.
“I never had any political ambition and was settled in the US. But the developments in Bangladesh in the past few days show that there is a leadership vacuum. I had to get active for the sake of the party and I am at the forefront now,” Joy explained to the newspaper.
The political landscape in Bangladesh has undergone significant upheaval, with Hasina’s Awami League party notably absent from the interim government. This follows a student-led uprising against the long-serving former prime minister, which resulted in nationwide violence claiming approximately 300 lives and leaving thousands injured.
Speculation has arisen in Indian media regarding Hasina’s potential plans to seek asylum in Britain. However, the British Home Office has refrained from commenting on these reports. Adding to the international dimension of the situation, India’s foreign minister recently disclosed having discussions with his British counterpart about Bangladesh, though specific details were not revealed.
