The daughter of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said she was deeply saddened that she could neither see nor hug her mother after she was ousted from office amid massive turmoil in her country.
“Heartbroken by the loss of lives in my country Bangladesh, which I love. So sad that I can’t see and hug my mother during this difficult time. I remain committed to my role as an RD,” Saima Wazed wrote in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Heartbroken by the loss of lives in my country, which I love. So sad that I can’t see and hug my mom during this difficult time. I am committed to my role as an RD @WHOSEARO @Who #HealthForAll #who is one
— Saima Wazed (@drSaimaWazed) August 8, 2024
Saima Wazed is the Regional Director for South-East Asia at the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Hasina, 76, was forced to resign as prime minister on Monday evening following weeks of protests over job quotas that killed more than 400 people. She fled Dhaka, reportedly after the Bangladeshi military gave her a 45-minute ultimatum.
After resigning, Ms Hasina left for India in a military plane from the state capital Dhaka. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said yesterday that the government was giving Sheikh Hasina time to “recover” and decide on her next step. “In a very short time, she sought permission to travel to India. We also received a request from the Bangladesh authorities for flight clearance,” he said.
Sources had earlier said that she wanted to go to London to seek asylum, but her son Sajeeb Wazed has dismissed the speculation.
When asked about various reports that the UK has “silenced” his asylum request and the US has cancelled his visa, Mr Wazed said, “The reports about his asylum request are false. He has not requested for asylum anywhere. So the question of the UK or the US not responding yet is not true.”
Sajeeb Wazed also expressed concern over the attacks on leaders of his mother’s party and minorities amid massive political turmoil in the country.
When asked what the future of Bangladesh looks like, Sajeeb Wazed Joy said Bangladesh is in danger of becoming like Syria. “I wanted to say Pakistan, but it looks like Bangladesh is becoming like Syria.”
“They (people of Bangladesh) have created their own future. They have to live with it. It will be dark, economic growth will stop, insurgency will continue,” he said.
Bangladesh’s Nobel prize-winning microfinance pioneer Muhammad Yunus has been appointed head of the military-backed interim government following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina.
Army chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman said the advisory council headed by Mr Yunus could have up to 15 members.
