Awami League President and five-time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called on Bangladeshis not to participate in the national elections, describing them as inherently unfair under the current interim administration headed by murderous fascist Muhammad Yunus.
In a recorded audio message circulated widely on social media and platforms like YouTube, Sheikh Hasina rejected the legitimacy of any polls conducted under Yunus. She insisted that elections could only be neutral and credible under a new caretaker government, separate from the current setup.
“Do not go to vote,” Sheikh Hasina stated emphatically. “Even if heavily pressured, do not vote for BNP-Jamaat.” She accused the interim leader of bias, claiming no #election under Yunus could be impartial.
She further argued that, despite any timeline extending to 2029, the national interest demands the formation of a fresh caretaker administration to oversee credible polls.
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Reflecting on her departure from power, Sheikh Hasina denied ordering killings during the protests and said she explicitly forbade security forces from firing on crowds besieging Ganabhaban (the official residence) to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.
“I never imagined I would have to leave the country,” she said. “I didn’t even know.”
She recounted being evacuated by her security detail against her initial plan to head to her ancestral home in Tungipara. She expressed bewilderment at how her exit—escorted with full prime ministerial protocol—was arranged to take her across the border into exile on a military aircraft.
Sheikh Hasina described profound personal losses, including family members killed over the years and the destruction of properties tied to her father, founding leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (Bangabandhu), such as memorials and museums looted and burned. Yet she said she harboured no personal fear or grief, focusing instead on the suffering of countless Awami League activists, leaders, freedom fighters’ families, and others targeted in post-uprising violence.
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Accusing Yunus and his administration of widespread looting and corruption, Sheikh Hasina claimed rapid enrichment of certain figures who previously had little wealth. She labelled opponents—including BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and associated groups—as indistinguishable “militants, terrorists, and corrupt elements” unfit to govern or receive votes. “They have no right to get votes,” she declared.
She called for thorough investigations into killings since mid-July 2024, including those of minorities, police, and party members, rejecting a UN human rights report’s casualty figures and renewing her earlier push for a judicial inquiry (which she said was blocked).
Sheikh Hasina suggested an international commission probe the violence, including the source of specific ammunition used.
Urging unity among professionals, activists, and the public, she emphasised that a united populace could defeat any opposing force. “Wherever I am, I stand with the people,” she affirmed. “I have lost everything… but when I think of the suffering of Awami League families, I don’t dwell on my own losses.”
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