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Fifteen months aft leaving superior Dhaka successful the midst of an uprising, Bangladesh’s deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that ‘mistakes’ were “certainly made” by information forces portion responding to the ‘disordered situation’ during past year’s student-people uprising. In a written interrogation to The Hindu, Ms. Hasina who fled Bangladesh connected August 5, 2025 said she has her “doubts” connected whether the election successful Bangladesh would beryllium held successful February 2026 saying that adjacent if held, the polls would not beryllium recognised arsenic valid arsenic her enactment Awami League remains banned. However, Ms. Hasina said that she has not called upon her supporters to boycott the predetermination and cautioned against “yet much convulsive uprising”.
“Our information unit connected the crushed were responding to fast-changing and convulsive circumstances. Mistakes were surely made successful the mode immoderate members of the information forces responded to the violence, but the decisions made by elder authorities officials were proportionate successful nature, made successful bully religion and intended to minimise the nonaccomplishment of life,” said Ms. Hasina successful her effect to a question.
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Ms. Hasina’s effect came arsenic the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) successful Dhaka has been preparing to present a verdict connected her and respective apical members of her deposed government. Ironically it was Ms. Hasina who aft staging a instrumentality to powerfulness successful 2009 had re-established the ICT to present justness for the individuals who had colluded with Pakistan Army successful 1971. Ms. Hasina has precocious approached the International Criminal Court seeking probe into reported unit carried retired by elements that are adjacent to the interim authorities led by Nobel laureate Prof. Mohammed Yunus. “A blameworthy verdict is pre-determined, and I volition not beryllium amazed erstwhile it comes. But the ICT is simply a sham tribunal controlled by my governmental enemies, who are intent connected destroying the Awami League arsenic a governmental force. The telephone for a decease condemnation serves the aforesaid murderous aim,” said Ms. Hasina who reiterated that she “did not resign” earlier leaving connected August 5, 2024.
“To resign arsenic Prime Minister, you person to taxable a missive to the President. I ne'er signed specified a letter, nor did the President person one,” she said.
Ms. Hasina accused the interim authorities of Bangladesh for not being responsive to home and planetary calls for holding predetermination successful the past 15 months saying, “I americium not assured that the February elections volition spell ahead,” and added, “Even if the elections instrumentality place, they volition not beryllium morganatic if the Awami League remains banned from taking part.”
She said, the interim authorities is “intent connected clinging connected to powerfulness astatine each costs”.
“They are not elected, they person nary committedness to the principles of nationalist accountability. That, alternatively than the timing of the poll, is the cardinal issue,” said Ms. Hasina arguing that the prohibition connected Awami League “is damaging for each parties” and emphasised that Awami League volition run successful a “peaceful” mode for holding an inclusive election.
“Let maine beryllium clear: I person not called for a boycott. The constituent I was making was that millions of Awami League voters volition not ballot astatine each if they are denied the accidental to enactment their preferred choice,” said Ms. Hasina, explaining, “Whatever happens our run volition beryllium peaceful. The past happening Bangladesh needs is yet much convulsive upheaval.” The contention for governmental powerfulness successful Bangladesh has sharpened successful caller weeks aft Mr. Yunus presided implicit a ceremonial wherever respective large governmental parties signed the July Proclamation, that aims to incorporated a acceptable of guiding principles to govern Bangladesh successful the coming years.
The governmental parties are divided implicit the way up regarding the July Charter with the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami demanding that a referendum should beryllium held connected the July Charter up of the predetermination truthful that the predetermination process could beryllium guided by the Charter itself portion the biggest governmental enactment Bangladesh Nationalist Party demanding that the referendum and the polls should beryllium held unneurotic successful February. BNP leaders person besides said that the interim authorities does not person the authorization to bring successful the charter that could change the constitution of Bangladesh.
Responding to the statement connected the July Proclamation, Ms. Hasina said, “The state does not request a caller charter. The charter does not bespeak the voices of the radical of Bangladesh… I americium skeptical that the referendum volition beryllium antiauthoritarian successful nature.” She besides described the July Proclamation arsenic a “dangerous business” that “distorts” Bangladesh’s past which includes the relation of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the 1971 Liberation War against the Pakistani military.
“You cannot eradicate past conscionable due to the fact that it is inconvenient. Our liberation conflict is thing Bangladeshis are arrogant of, not ashamed of,” said Ms. Hasina.
The 15 period agelong exile is the longest that Ms. Hasina has undergone since returning to Dhaka successful 1981 erstwhile she ended her exile successful Europe and India of astir six years pursuing the assassination of her begetter Sheikh Mujibur Rahman connected August 15, 1975. However, she blamed the “prevailing governmental climate” for not returning astatine present. Ms. Hasina blamed the interim authorities for the reported maturation of extremist movements successful Bangladesh. “The information that Yunus has appointed immoderate extremists to his Cabinet besides sends them an encouraging connection and, nary doubt, applicable assistance too,” said Ms. Hasina.
In her reflection connected the interim government’s outreach to Pakistan, Ms. Hasina said, the radical of Bangladesh volition “never” hide the atrocities committed by Pakistani subject successful 1971 and said, “Of course, it makes consciousness to person a constructive narration with Pakistan. But it indispensable beryllium measured and balanced, alternatively than pursued astatine headlong velocity and with full disregard for our astir important relationship, which is and ever volition beryllium our narration with India.”
