DHAKA: Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has condemned the recent general elections held under an interim government, calling them a “farce.” From her current refuge in India, Hasina described the elections organized under the caretaker administration led by Muhammad Yunus as a “staged conspiracy.”
In a statement shared on her Awami League’s official social media pages, Sheikh Hasina criticized the electoral process, asserting that it completely disregarded the people’s voting rights, democratic values, and the core principles of the constitution. She claimed, “Elections conducted without the participation of the Awami League were nothing but a false show, devoid of transparency and genuine voter representation.”
Hasina also accused that by early February 12, voter turnout at most polling stations was alarmingly low, which she interpreted as a clear indication that the public had rejected the election process carried out without her party’s involvement.
She called for the immediate annulment of the elections and urged for new, transparent elections to be held under a neutral, independent caretaker government, ensuring all citizens have the opportunity to vote freely.
It is important to note that Sheikh Hasina had previously abolished the constitutional clause that mandated elections under a non-partisan caretaker government through legal amendments during her time in office.
Additionally, following a brutal crackdown on student protests and violent clashes in August 2024, which resulted in over 1,000 deaths, Sheikh Hasina fled her government and sought refuge in India.
