"All rumours; she has not made decision yet": Former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina's son on her plans for asylum
Aug 07, 2024
Dhaka [Bangladesh], August 7 : Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the son of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said on Wednesday, that his mother has not made a decision on whether her plans for asylum are in the United States or United Kingdom, and called it all "rumours," The Daily Star reported.
Sheikh Hasina's son further said that she will be staying in Delhi for a while.
Sheikh Hasina resigned on Monday and came to India, after violent protests in the country led by students, demanding an end to the quota system for government jobs.
Joy, in an interview with Deutsche Well, said that he was worried, not because she was leaving Bangladesh, but because she did not want to leave Bangladesh, The Daily Star reported.
When the interviewer asked about Hasina's plan for asylum in the US and UK, he said, "These are all rumours. She has not made a decision on that yet. She is going to stay in Delhi for a little while.
"I was worried not because she was leaving Bangladesh, but because she didn't want to leave Bangladesh. We had to convince her. I said this is not a political movement anymore, this is a mob ... they are going to kill you," Joy said.
Joy, Hasina's son, told Deutsche Welle in an interview on Wednesday that the decision to resign was taken a day earlier but not announced.
"She had made the decision a day earlier. Only a few of us knew that she would announce she was resigning and that her plan was to ensure a transition of power according to the Constitution. But when they (protesters) began marching towards Ganabhaban, we said out of fear, there was no more time. You have to leave now."
Responding to a question about leadership in the Awami League, Joy said that he currently has no plans to enter politics, as reported by Dhaka Tribune.
"For the third time, our family has faced a coup. For the third time, we had to live abroad, losing everything. Except for my mother and me, all of us have been abroad for a long time. We are settled here. We have no difficulties in life here. We are accustomed to living here," he said.
Joy further said that there is no decision for Hasina to move from India to another place.
"Sheikh Hasina is well and now in Delhi. My sister is with her. My sister lives in Delhi... She is well, but very upset," he added.
Further, he expressed that his mother is sad that her father gave his life for the country, however, the entire family lost their lives.
"She is saddened that her father gave his life for the country, and the entire family lost their lives. The country for which she was imprisoned, worked so hard, and made so much progress, that the people of this country would insult her in this way, expel her, and go on to attack her, was something none of us could have imagined," he continued.
Earlier on Tuesday, Joy called on the police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and military to uphold the constitution and prevent any unelected government from assuming power.
He warned that failing to do so could jeopardise Bangladesh's 15 years of progress and potentially lead the country down a path similar to Pakistan, which would be disastrous for Bangladesh's future.
The political situation in Bangladesh remains volatile following Sheikh Hasina's resignation amid escalating protests. These demonstrations, largely driven by students demanding an end to the quota system for government jobs, have evolved into broader anti-government protests.
Sheikh Hasina arrived in India on Monday evening after tendering her resignation. It is not clear if Sheikh Hasina will continue to stay in Delhi or move to another location later.
On Tuesday, Bangladesh PM President Mohammed Shahabuddin announced the dissolution of the country's parliament to make way for the formation of an interim administration, Dhaka Tribune reported.
Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has been appointed as the head of Bangladesh's interim government, Dhaka Tribune reported.