Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has outlined the conditions under which she would return to the country, saying her comeback depends on the restoration of participatory democracy, the lifting of the ban on the Awami League, and the conduct of free, fair and inclusive elections.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with PTI from an undisclosed location in India, Hasina accused the Yunus administration of jeopardizing Bangladesh’s relations with India and empowering extremist groups.
She said the long-standing and robust relationship between Bangladesh and India should be strong enough to “withstand the foolishness of the middleman Yunus.”
Hasina expressed her gratitude to the Indian government, saying she was deeply thankful for the shelter and warm hospitality provided to her.
Reflecting on the crisis that preceded her departure, Hasina said her government had been unable to control the situation amid large-scale protests, calling it a regrettable failure. She added that there were “many lessons to be learned from these terrible events.”
Hasina also dismissed media reports claiming she had urged the public to boycott the elections scheduled for February next year, insisting that any election held without the participation of the Awami League would lack legitimacy.
