Hasina’s son seeks incorporation of Awami League into reforms, elections

NEW DELHI: Bangladesh deposed PM Sheikh Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wazed concurred with the deadline given by army chief for elections but said that reform and elections will be impossible without his party.

General Waker-uz-Zaman, who did not back Hasina during the recent protests, said the country should get back to democracy within a year to a year-and-a-half. Wazed noted: “I’m happy to hear we have an expected timeline at least now,” but he pointed to the danger of an “unconstitutional, unelected government” promising reforms, recalling Bangladesh’s tumultuous history of coups since gaining independence in 1971.

The last coup happened in 2007 when the military supported caretaker government till two years later, Hasina took power back. Since her resignation in August, the army have an important role to establish an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.

Both Prime Minister Hasina’s Awami League and her opposition counterpart, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), have demanded the elections within three months of the interim government’s taking office. The interim government vowed to undertake reforms in the judiciary, police, and financial institutions but did not declare a date for the elections.

Wazed, a resident of Washington, said, “It’s quite impossible to have really reforms and elections when boycotting the oldest and largest political party which is the Awami League that’s faced such a severe crisis since Hasina’s escape. Several leaders have been arrested or are underground and activists faced attacks.

The representatives of the caretaker government could not be contacted for any comment on Wazed’s remarks. Head of a reform committee on elections said recommendations would be submitted to the government in three months, who would then consider the decision regarding holding any talks with the Awami League and fix the election date.

Last month Wazed said he knew Hasina was ready to stand trial in Bangladesh as demanded by the current student protesters, and that Awami League is eager to join the elections likely to occur soon. Quoting questions about Hasina’s return he replied, “That is up to her,” talking of which will quite obviously do whatever will ensure party members are safe while the challenges are still facing at the hands of the present regime.