Fugitive Ex-PM Sheikh Hasina Warns Bangladesh Vote Without Her Party Risks Deeper Divide

Sheikh Hasina, the fugitive former prime minister of Bangladesh, warned that holding elections without her party, the Awami League, risks deepening divisions and destabilizing the country. In her first interview since being ousted by a student-led uprising in August 2024, Hasina condemned her crimes against humanity trial as a "jurisprudential joke" and claimed a guilty verdict was predetermined. The UN reports that up to 1,400 people were killed during crackdowns as she tried to retain power, incidents now central to her trial. Despite being in hiding in India, Hasina remains defiant, mourning the lives lost during the unrest while criticizing the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus for banning her party under anti-terrorism amendments. She emphasized that free and fair elections require the participation of all major parties and called for the reinstatement of the Awami League to ensure credible elections and political stability ahead of the February 2026 polls. Rights groups have accused Hasina's government of widespread abuses, including rigged elections and suppression of opposition, further complicating the political crisis.