Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned from her position and fled the country on Monday, amid massive protests against her government that claimed more than 100 lives, mostly of student protesters.
Deposed Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy has asserted that his mother will stay in India “for a little while” as she has not yet decided whether to seek asylum in the United States or United Kingdom, terming the speculations about her decisions as “rumours”.
“These are all rumours. She has not made a decision on that yet. She is going to stay in Delhi for a little while,” Joy said in an interview with Deutsche Well, according to the The Daily Star.
Talking about the Bangladesh protests which led to the ouster of Hasina and the her decision to flee the country, Joy said he was “worried not because she was leaving Bangladesh, but because she did not want to leave Bangladesh.”
“…I said this is not a political movement anymore, this is a mob … they are going to kill you.”
“She had made the decision a day earlier. Only a few of us knew that she would announce she was resigning and that her plan was to ensure a transition of power according to the Constitution. But when they (protesters) began marching towards Ganabhaban, we said out of fear, there was no more time. You have to leave now.”
Responding to a question about leadership in the Awami League, Joy said that he currently has no plans to enter politics, Dhaka Tribune reported.
“For the third time, our family has faced a coup. For the third time, we had to live abroad, losing everything. Except for my mother and me, all of us have been abroad for a long time. We are settled here. We have no difficulties in life here. We are accustomed to living here,” he said.
Hasina will stay in Delhi, for now
Joy said that currently, there is no decision for Hasina to move from India to another place.
“Sheikh Hasina is well and now in Delhi. My sister is with her. My sister lives in Delhi… She is well, but very upset,” he stated, adding that she was saddened that her father father gave his life for the country, which has insulted and expelled her.
“She is saddened that her father gave his life for the country, and the entire family lost their lives. The country for which she was imprisoned, worked so hard, and made so much progress, that the people of this country would insult her in this way, expel her, and go on to attack her, was something none of us could have imagined,” he continued.
On Tuesday, Joy urged the Bangladesh Police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and the military to uphold the constitution and prevent any unelected government from assuming power, warning that failing to do so could jeopardise Bangladesh’s 15 years of progress and potentially lead the country down a path similar to Pakistan, which would spell doom for the country.
Sheikh Hasina quits, flees country
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned from her position and fled the country on Monday, amid massive protests against her government that claimed more than 100 lives, mostly of student protesters.
Later that day, Bangladesh Army Chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman announced that Hasina has resigned and left the country, and an interim government under his watch is taking over.
“I’m taking all responsibility (of the country). Please cooperate,” the Army Chief said in a televised address.
Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has been appointed as the head of Bangladesh’s interim government which is set to be sworn-in today.
(With PTI inputs)