Sheikh Hasina to Return to Bangladesh After Democracy is Restored, Says Son Sajeeb Wazed Joy

Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been in India since resigning from her post. But it was not clear where she would go after this, because Britain and America had also closed the doors of their country to Hasina. Now Sheikh Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy has surprised everyone by announcing his mother's return to the country. Sajeeb has made this announcement when the interim government has been formed in Bangladesh and the cabinet will be sworn in.

Apart from this, the people of Bangladesh are demanding that Hasina be brought back and prosecuted. The former PM's son claimed that his mother would return to her country after democracy is restored in Bangladesh. He said that Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI has a hand in spreading unrest in his country. In an exclusive interview with 'PTI-Bhasha', Joy said that although Hasina will return to Bangladesh, it is not yet decided whether she will return as a retired leader or as an active leader. He also said that the members of Sheikh Mujib's (Sheikh Mujibur Rahman) family will neither abandon their people nor leave the beleaguered Awami League helpless.

Joy expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government for his mother's safety and appealed to India to help build international opinion and press for the restoration of democracy in Bangladesh.

Hasina's son said, "Yes, it is true that I said she will not return to Bangladesh. But a lot has changed in the last two days after the continuous attacks on our leaders and party workers across the country. We are going to do whatever it takes to keep our people safe. We will not leave them alone."

Joy told PTI-Bhasha over the phone, "Awami League is the largest and oldest political party in Bangladesh, so we cannot go away from our people. She (Hasina) will return to Bangladesh after democracy is restored. Describing the Awami League as "India's evergreen ally", he said New Delhi should ensure the safety of Awami League leaders in Bangladesh by building international pressure.”

Joy also urged the interim government to be formed in Bangladesh to restore law and order and said, "The country is sliding into anarchy and is becoming another Afghanistan in the region."

He said he also hoped that the interim government would create a level playing field whenever democracy is restored and fresh elections are held. Joy said, "You cannot exclude the Awami League and never have representative democracy in Bangladesh. Whatever Mohammad Yunus’s personal views, he has said that he wants a government with unity and wants to move forward and not let the mistakes of the past be repeated. I hope he will stick to his word."

Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus is scheduled to be sworn in as the head of Bangladesh's interim government today. Sheikh Hasina resigned and left the country following violent protests against her government over a controversial quota system in jobs.