Sheikh Hasina, who resigned as Bangladesh’s prime minister and fled the country on Monday after weeks of protests, did not want to leave the country at all but did so at the insistence of her family, her US-based son and former chief adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy told NDTV.
“She wanted to stay here, she didn’t want to leave the country at all. But we kept insisting that it wasn’t safe for her. We were worried about her physical safety first and foremost, so we persuaded her to go,” her son Joy told NDTV’s Mariya Shakil in a telephone interview.
He said, “I spoke to him this morning. The situation in Bangladesh, as you can see, is chaos. He is in a good state, but he is very disappointed. It is very disappointing for him because it was his dream to make Bangladesh a developed country and he worked very hard for it in the last 15 years, kept it safe from militants and terrorism and despite all this, this vocal minority, the opposition, the militants have now taken over power.”
His resignation comes less than seven months after he celebrated a fourth consecutive term in power – and fifth overall – in a landslide victory in national elections in January.
The 76-year-old was flown by military helicopter on Monday with her sister to seek refuge in India. Sources told NDTV she is later expected to fly to London, where she may seek political asylum.
However, her son said she had not discussed with him about where she was moving now.
His previous 15 years in power were marked by the arrest of opposition leaders, crackdowns on freedom of expression and suppression of dissent, and he resigned in the wake of deadly student-led protests that left hundreds dead.
The protests began in June after student groups demanded the end of a controversial quota system in government jobs, which later turned into a movement demanding the end of his rule.
His son said, “We hope that elections will be held in Bangladesh, but at this time when our party leaders are being targeted, I don’t think free and fair elections will be possible. In a way, it is no longer the responsibility of the family. We have shown what we can do. We have shown how much we can develop Bangladesh and if the people of Bangladesh are not ready to stand by and they are ready to let this violent minority seize power, then the people will get the leadership they deserve.”
When asked if his mother did the best for the country, he said, “Absolutely. The Awami League is still the most popular party in the country. The BNP has a chance to come back to power and we have seen what they were like last time. They devastated the country. Militants had a free hand; they attacked minorities with impunity.”
Bangladesh President Mohammad Shahabuddin ordered the release of jailed former prime minister and prominent opposition leader Khaleda Zia, just hours after her arch rival Sheikh Hasina was ousted and the military seized power.
Bangladesh Army Chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman said in a broadcast to the nation on state television that Hasina had resigned and the military would form a caretaker government.
“The country has suffered a lot, the economy has been damaged, many people have been killed – it’s time to stop the violence,” Wakar said after a jubilant mob stormed and looted Hasina’s official residence.
Bangladesh’s Channel 24 broadcast images of crowds rushing into the prime minister’s compound, smiling and waving at the cameras, looting furniture and books, or resting on beds.
The army said it would lift a curfew imposed to prevent protests on Tuesday morning.
“I doubt the army will be able to normalise the situation so soon. Because what is happening now is that the opposition and the militants are not only vandalising but also targeting our leaders, former ministers and even minorities. I don’t think the violence is over,” Mr Joy said.
Mobs also raided and vandalised homes of allies of Hasina’s Awami League party and police stations, witnesses told news agency AFP.
Mobs vandalised statues of his father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country’s independence hero, and set fire to a museum dedicated to him.
“The feeling is one of disappointment and anger that my grandfather liberated the country and they killed him and my whole family. And now the same forces, these minorities who opposed the independence of Bangladesh, are using this opportunity to basically deny and destroy our hard struggle for independence. And it is very disappointing to see that the majority of Bangladesh is silent,” Mr Joy said.
This South Asian nation has a long history of coups.
Following widespread political unrest, the military declared a state of emergency in January 2007 and installed a military-backed caretaker government for two years.