New Delhi, Nov 13 (IANS) Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asserted that the legacy of her party, the Awami League, could not be wiped out through administrative orders, questioning why the Bangladeshi authorities barred the party from participating in free and fair elections if they believed it had lost public support.
In a rare audio interview with IANS, Hasina said that while people had the democratic right to criticise or reject the Awami League, the party must also be given an equal opportunity to contest elections and let voters decide its political future.
“The Awami League led Bangladesh’s struggle for independence. It has survived military rule, political bans and the imprisonment of its leaders. You cannot erase that history through a government order. Let me say something. People have every right to criticise me or the Awami League. They can campaign against us. They can vote against us. That is their democratic right. But the same right must be given to us. If those in power believe that the people have rejected the Awami League, why not allow us to participate in a free and fair election?” the former PM questioned.
“Let every party organise a campaign and present its programme. Let the people decide who should govern them. That is democracy. Anything less raises serious questions about the legitimacy and inclusiveness of the process,” she added.
Earlier, on May 12, 2025, the former Muhammad Yunus-led interim government issued a gazette notification banning all activities of the Awami League and its affiliate organisations, drawing widespread condemnation from the global community.
Speaking exclusively to IANS, Hasina recalled her five terms as Prime Minister of Bangladesh, saying that her immediate concern was to stand by ordinary Bangladeshis amid their hardships and help restore their democratic rights.
“Look, I have had the honour of serving Bangladesh as Prime Minister five times. I have seen how much our country achieved through the hard work of its people. And now, I see how much they are suffering. My immediate concern is to stand beside them and help restore their democratic rights. As far as the future is concerned, the Awami League has its own constitution and an established process for choosing its leadership. That decision belongs to the party’s leaders and workers,” the former PM stated.
Emphasising that the people’s mandate must determine who governs Bangladesh, Hasina said the Awami League would respect the outcome of a free and fair election.
“And who governs Bangladesh must ultimately be decided by the people. If the people give the Awami League a mandate through a genuinely free and fair election, we will accept that responsibility. If they choose otherwise, that decision must be respected. I have always believed that the people are the source of political power. My responsibility is to serve them, whatever position I may hold,” she told IANS.
–IANS
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