On October 22, 2025, Sajeeb Wazed, the son of Bangladesh’s ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, delivered a pointed message from Washington D.C. to his homeland’s interim government: lift the ban on his mother’s political party, the Awami League, or risk deepening the country’s political instability. In an exclusive interview with the Associated Press, Wazed insisted that only an inclusive, free, and fair election could restore order and legitimacy to Bangladesh’s battered democracy.
"This ban has to be lifted, the elections have to be inclusive and free and fair," Wazed declared, underscoring the urgency of his appeal. He continued, "What is happening now really is an attempt to keep my mother and our political leaders from running in elections. This is political manipulation disguised as justice." These remarks, reported by the Associated Press and echoed in coverage by Richardson Media Group, come as Bangladesh prepares for its first general election since the dramatic ouster of Hasina’s government last year.
The upcoming election, scheduled for February 2026, will mark a critical crossroads for the South Asian nation of 170 million. The contest follows a student-led uprising in 2024 that ended Hasina’s 15-year rule and forced her into exile in India. Within days of her departure, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus assumed leadership of an interim government, promising reforms and stability. But by May 2025, Yunus’s administration had banned the Awami League’s activities and arrested many of its senior leaders, further polarizing the political landscape.
The crackdown has sent shockwaves through Bangladesh’s political class. Many Awami League members, including former Cabinet ministers, have fled to neighboring India and other countries to escape arrest. In addition to Hasina herself, all her immediate family members—including Wazed and his sister—now face serious charges ranging from crimes against humanity to corruption. The government’s actions have drawn sharp criticism from international rights groups.
Six organizations—including Human Rights Watch and the Committee to Protect Journalists—jointly penned a letter to Yunus last week, urging an end to what they called the "broad ban" on the Awami League’s activities. The groups argued that the restrictions "excessively restrict freedom of association, assembly, and expression and have been used to arrest Awami League members and perceived supporters engaged in peaceful activities."
Wazed, who has lived in the United States for three decades, warned that if the Awami League is not allowed sufficient time to organize, the results of next February’s election "will not be recognized by the people of the country, by international observers." He added, "We are not allowed to conduct any election preparation. So even if the ban is lifted at the last minute, the elections will be a sham."
The stakes could hardly be higher. Bangladesh’s parliamentary system currently recognizes 52 political parties, but its democratic transition has been hampered by the fallout from Hasina’s ouster. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Hasina’s perennial rival and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, is now the main contender in the upcoming election. Yet the opposition landscape remains fraught: the Jatiya Party, another major force, has been effectively sidelined, with its headquarters attacked and rallies forcibly disrupted.
Adding to the volatility, the country’s largest Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, has returned to the political fray after more than a decade of suppression under Hasina’s administration. Over the past year, Jamaat-e-Islami has rapidly expanded its presence and is actively seeking alliances with other hard-line Islamist groups and parties. Wazed voiced concern that instability could empower these factions, accusing Yunus of "backing them and planning a rigged election to bring them to power." The interim government, for its part, has not publicly responded to these allegations.
Human rights concerns are mounting. Wazed acknowledged that Hasina’s government made some "initial mistakes," particularly in its response to the 2024 uprising, which was marred by violence. While a United Nations report estimated that up to 1,400 people may have been killed during the unrest, Wazed disputed this figure, citing a statement from a health adviser under Yunus who claimed about 800 deaths. "All the deaths were regrettable and need thorough investigation," Wazed said. However, he questioned the Yunus government’s decision to grant immunity to protesters involved in last year’s violence, arguing that such moves undermine accountability.
The legal pressure on Hasina continues to mount. Just last week, a prosecutor in a special domestic tribunal sought the death penalty for the former prime minister. Hasina, who has refused to appoint legal representation, dismissed the proceedings as a "kangaroo court." Wazed described the ongoing prosecutions as a "witch-hunt" orchestrated by the interim government to eliminate political opposition.
Wazed also accused the Yunus administration of widespread human rights abuses. He alleged that tens of thousands of Awami League supporters have been imprisoned for over a year, many on murder charges, and that about 500 activists have been killed by mobs since the uprising. According to Wazed, 31 party activists have died in custody. "The human rights record of this regime is brutal," he asserted, pointing to what he described as a campaign of intimidation and violence targeting the country’s religious minorities, particularly Hindus. The interim government has denied such allegations of minority harassment.
Bangladesh’s political turbulence is not occurring in a vacuum. The country’s democratic institutions have been tested repeatedly over the past decade, with power frequently alternating between Hasina’s Awami League and Zia’s BNP—two parties whose rivalry has defined contemporary Bangladeshi politics. The return of Jamaat-e-Islami and the suppression of other opposition voices have only added to the sense of uncertainty.
International observers are watching closely. The outcome of the February 2026 election could have profound implications not only for Bangladesh’s internal stability but also for its standing on the world stage. The United States, European Union, and regional powers like India have all expressed concern about the trajectory of Bangladeshi democracy, warning that the exclusion of major political parties could delegitimize the electoral process and fuel further unrest.
For ordinary Bangladeshis, the stakes are deeply personal. Many are anxious about the potential for renewed violence, economic disruption, and communal tensions. As the country approaches a pivotal election, the call for inclusivity, transparency, and respect for fundamental rights grows ever more urgent. Whether the interim government will heed these demands remains an open—and critical—question.
