In a world exclusive, former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina breaks her silence, writing in The WEEK, offering an account of Bangladesh’s current political turmoil and her vision for the country's future.
Part memoir, part manifesto, this is a deeply personal and political piece, which reflects on her decades-long fight to uphold democracy, her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s legacy as the nation’s founding leader, and her fears that Bangladesh is returning to the dark days of dictatorship and division.
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In an exclusive article, the former Bangladesh PM says true democracy is impossible under a head of state without an electoral mandate who has banned the main opposition, and undermined the… pic.twitter.com/I4wYDBiVi3
She recalls how, under her leadership, Bangladesh transformed into one of South Asia’s fastest-growing economies, achieving progress in women’s empowerment, poverty reduction, and infrastructure development, and credits "ordinary Bangladeshis, not to politicians" for the achievement.
The former prime minister accuses the interim government, led by Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus, of silencing the media, jailing her political allies, and intimidating minorities and opposition voices. “Democracy cannot flourish in fear, and the Bangladesh I know was not built on fear,” she asserts.
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Hasina warns that “true democracy cannot exist while our country is governed by a head of state with no electoral mandate.”
“Bangladesh is now ruled by an unaccountable elite paying lip service to democracy while the country cries out for free and fair elections,” she writes, calling the present situation “a betrayal of the people’s faith in the ballot.”
According to her, Yunus is not in control of the country. She argues, "...the truth is that Dr Yunus is not really in control at all. Islamist factions linked to known terrorist organisations such as Hizb ut-Tahrir have been allowed take root in civil life, spreading a hardline ideology that seeks to oppress some of the most vulnerable in our society."
She is hopeful that the country, which, according to her, is "at a pivotal crossroads fighting for democratic integrity, constitutional freedoms and fundamental human rights," will once again return to "true democracy."
Grab a copy of the November 16 edition of THE WEEK to read Sheikh Hasina’s full account.
