Sheikh Hasina's son warns of violence if ban on party stays ahead of court verdict

New Delhi,UPDATED: Nov 17, 2025 00:38 IST

The son and adviser of ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina warned on Sunday that supporters of her Awami League would obstruct next February’s national election if a ban on the party remained in place. He also cautioned that nationwide protests could escalate into violence unless the interim government reverses course.

Sajeeb Wazed made the remarks in an exclusive interview with Reuters, a day before a Dhaka court was due to deliver a televised verdict expected to convict Hasina, 78, in absentia on charges of crimes against humanity linked to a deadly crackdown on student-led protests in 2024. Hasina denies the allegations and says the case is politically driven.

Bangladesh saw its most intense spell of political violence since the 1971 independence war during last year’s unrest. A United Nations report estimated that up to 1,400 people were killed and thousands wounded, most by gunfire from security forces, during anti-government demonstrations between July 15 and August 5. The turmoil also tore through Bangladesh’s garment sector, one of the world’s largest exporters and a critical component of the country’s economy.

HASINA REJECTS TRIBUNAL PROCESS AS BIASED

Hasina has lived in exile in New Delhi since fleeing Bangladesh in August 2024. Wazed said India was providing her full protection and treating her "like a head of state".

"We know exactly what the verdict is going to be. They're televising it. They're going to convict her, and they'll probably sentence her to death," Wazed said. "What can they do to my mother? My mother is safe in India. India is giving her full security."

Spokespeople for Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, who has been leading the interim government since Hasina’s 15-year rule ended, did not respond to requests for comment late on Sunday.

Hasina told Reuters in October that she could move freely in Delhi, though she remained cautious due to security concerns. Her parents and three brothers were killed in a 1975 military coup while she and her sister were abroad. She described the impending verdict from the Crimes Tribunal — Bangladesh’s domestic war crimes court — as a "foregone conclusion", insisting the "proceedings were a politically motivated charade".

Wazed, widely known in Bangladesh as Joy, said they would not seek an appeal unless a democratically elected government took office with the Awami League’s participation. The party’s registration was suspended in May after the interim administration banned its political activities, citing national security concerns and war crimes investigations involving senior leaders.

"We will not allow elections without the Awami League to go ahead," he said. "Our protests are going to get stronger and stronger, and we will do whatever it takes. Unless the international community does something, eventually there's probably going to be violence in Bangladesh before these elections ... there's going to be confrontations."

SECURITY TIGHTENS AS CRUDE BOMBS EXPLODE IN DHAKA

Tensions in the capital have surged in recent days ahead of the verdict. Several crude bombs exploded in Dhaka on Sunday, part of a wave of political violence that included 32 blasts reported on November 12 and dozens of buses set on fire. Police have detained Awami League activists on allegations of sabotage.

Authorities have responded by deploying more than 400 Border Guards, reinforcing checkpoints, and imposing restrictions on public gatherings in an effort to contain unrest.

Wazed said he and Hasina remain in contact with party activists inside Bangladesh but have no communication with the interim government or the rival Bangladesh ist Party, which is widely expected to lead the next government if elections proceed as planned.

"You're seeing in the last few days shutdowns across the country, massive protests throughout the country, and they're only going to get bigger," he said.

Hasina, credited with overseeing major economic growth but also accused of silencing critics and suppressing dissent, won a fourth consecutive term in 2024 in an election boycotted by the main opposition after many of its leaders were jailed or forced abroad.

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