ANI file photo
Former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina dismissed on Monday calls for her return to the country amid ongoing legal proceedings, saying the action against her was politically driven and insisting she would not go back under the present circumstances, even as Bangladesh witnessed fresh unrest last week, including the killing of a Hindu man.”You cannot demand my return to face my political assassination,” Hasina said, reiterating that she has challenged Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus to take the matter to The Hague, expressing confidence that an independent court would acquit her. She said she would return only when Bangladesh has a legitimate govt and an independent judiciary.Elaborating on her position in an email interview with ANI, Hasina said the verdict delivered by International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) was not a judicial exercise but a political one, describing it as a “political assassination in judicial robes”. She said she was denied the right to defend herself and appoint lawyers of her choice, alleging that the tribunal had been used to conduct a “witch hunt of Awami League”.Despite allegations, Hasina said her trust in Bangladesh’s constitutional framework is intact: “Our constitutional tradition is strong, and when legitimate governance is restored and our judiciary regains its independence, justice will prevail.” Her comments follow a ruling by a Bangladesh court in Nov that found Hasina guilty of “crimes against humanity” in connection with the July-Aug 2024 uprising, with local media reporting that ICT-1 imposed death penalty. According to Dhaka Tribune, the tribunal convicted the former PM on all five charges of crimes against humanity.Against this backdrop of legal action and recent violence, Hasina accused the interim administration headed by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus of “lacking democratic legitimacy” and driving the country toward “instability by weakening institutions and empowering extremist elements”.She also questioned the credibility of elections scheduled for Feb 2016, citing continued ban on Awami League. “An election without Awami League is not an election, but a coronation,” she said, alleging that Yunus is governing “without a single vote from Bangladeshi people” while attempting to bar a party that has won nine national mandates.”Any administration formed under such circumstances would lack moral authority and squander an opportunity for genuine national reconciliation,” she said.Explaining her exit from Bangladesh, Hasina said she left to prevent further bloodshed and not because she feared accountability.Hasina also raised concerns about the growing influence of radical Islamist groups, alleging that Yunus has appointed extremists to cabinet positions, released convicted terrorists and allowed organisations linked to international terror networks to operate in public life.
