Sheikh Hasina Slams February 12 Polls as “Mockery of Democracy,” Warns of Minority Persecution

Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has strongly criticised the February 12 elections in Bangladesh, warning that the polls, being held under an unelected interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, threaten the country’s democratic foundations and endanger minorities.

Bangladesh is heading to elections after nearly two years without an elected government, a situation Sheikh Hasina described as deeply alarming for democratic legitimacy. In an exclusive interview, Sheikh Hasina said the proposed electoral process lacks inclusivity, credibility, and constitutional validity.

“These elections make a mockery of democracy,” Sheikh Hasina said, stressing that no election can be democratic if it excludes the country’s oldest and most popular political party, the Awami League. She noted that the Awami League, which has been elected by the people nine times, represents millions of voters who are now effectively disenfranchised.

Minority Killings Reflect Government Failure

Sheikh Hasina expressed grave concern over the recent killing of at least 15 Hindus in different parts of the country, including Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh and Chanchal Bhowmik in Narsingdi. According to her, these incidents are not isolated crimes but symptoms of a deeper crisis under the Yunus-led interim administration.

“The Yunus government has empowered extremists, released convicted terrorists, and granted impunity to perpetrators of violence,” Sheikh Hasina said. “Protecting citizens equally is the most basic responsibility of a government. This administration has failed completely.”

Sheikh Hasina warned that minorities—Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, and Ahmadi Muslims—are living in fear, while women and Awami League supporters are facing widespread persecution. She accused the interim government of allowing banned extremist organisations and Jamaat-e-Islami elements to gain influence within the state.

Awami League Exclusion Undermines Democracy

Addressing the political environment ahead of the election, Sheikh Hasina said the interim government has deliberately dismantled democratic space by banning the Awami League and intimidating opposition voices.

“An unelected authority that no citizen voted for has no moral or legal right to ban a party elected nine times by the people,” she said. “This is not governance; it is the elimination of opposition by decree.”

Sheikh Hasina claimed that independent candidates are being blocked, opposition parties are withdrawing under pressure, and law enforcement agencies are harassing citizens attempting to participate in the political process unless they align with BNP or Jamaat-backed groups.

According to Sheikh Hasina, the interim government fears facing the Awami League at the ballot box because it knows that when people are given a genuine choice, they vote for her party.

Denial of Communal Violence

Sheikh Hasina sharply criticised the Yunus administration for describing attacks on minorities as mere “criminal incidents,” calling it a deliberate attempt to conceal the rise of religious extremism.

Referring to the lynching of Dipu Chandra Das over alleged blasphemy, Sheikh Hasina said such violence cannot be divorced from its communal nature. “Denying the religious motivation behind these attacks shields extremists and denies justice to victims,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina reminded that Bangladesh was founded as a secular republic and warned that the current environment represents a betrayal of the country’s liberation values.

Economic Decline and International Isolation

Sheikh Hasina also highlighted the sharp contrast between Bangladesh’s economic progress under Awami League governments and the current decline under the interim administration.

“Under Awami League leadership, Bangladesh achieved sustained growth, reduced poverty, empowered women, and earned global respect,” she said. “Today, investment has stalled, jobs are disappearing, exports are declining, and the economy is contracting.”

Sheikh Hasina noted that Bangladesh’s international standing has weakened significantly, with growing criticism from human rights organisations and concern from key allies. She warned that governing without a public mandate inevitably leads to instability and loss of credibility.

Call for Restoration of Democracy

Concluding her remarks, Sheikh Hasina reaffirmed her commitment to democracy, secularism, and inclusive development. She said Bangladesh belongs to its people, not to unelected rulers or extremist forces.

“Awami League governments protected minorities, dismantled terrorist networks, and worked for sustainable development,” Sheikh Hasina said. “Bangladesh can only move forward by restoring the people’s right to choose their representatives freely.”

Source: The Sunday Guardian