It’s been quite some time since the Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina has left Bangladesh and ever since then news of attack on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh started coming. In an exclusive interview with the Free Press Journal, Sheikh Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy mentioned that ‘in the history of Bangladesh, minorities are safe under Awami League.
Here are The Excerpts
Q. Several videos are coming that minorities over there are being beaten. What do you have to say?
Joy: This was inevitable without the Awami League in power. In the history of Bangladesh only one government has proven to keep the minorities safe and that is us.
.png)
Q. Previously you have said that you will not join politics. What is your stand now? Also about the disrespect that is being shown to Banga Bandhu?
Joy: I have never had a desire or ambition for politics. However, I am outraged at the destruction of my grandfather's memorials. He is the Father of the Nation. Regardless of how you feel about my mother, to attack his memory is sacrilege. Even the killers of 1975 did not destroy his home, where my entire family was murdered. So now I am willing to do whatever it takes to save his legacy and restore law and order to my country.
Q. So can we see you leading the Awami League from the front?
Joy: That will be up to the Awami League. We are a democratic party and the party will decide who will lead them.
Q. What is your message to leaders and workers of Awami League who are being heckled in Bangladesh now?
Joy: Do not lose hope. We are the oldest and largest political party in Bangladesh. We have survived worse, including the coup of 1975 where all our top leaders were murdered and all politics banned under a military dictatorship. We came back stronger. We will come back even stronger this time.
Q. When can we see former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Bangladesh?
Joy: She will eventually be back. I cannot say when as that only time will tell. But she had planned to retire at the end of this term and live in her village home. That is what she still wants.
Q. Do you think it is a larger conspiracy against Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League government?
Joy: Yes, definitely. Our government had stopped all insurgent activity in Bangladesh which was being fed by Pakistan's ISI. Over the last 15 years we uncovered continuous attempts by the ISI to bring terrorists and weapons into Bangladesh. Even with these protests, we were surprised to see the protestors armed with firearms, shooting at police. Where did these weapons come from? Our government had stopped all insurgency so the only other group that is capable of smuggling weapons into a country and supplying them to protestors is an intelligence agency.
Q. Do you think that the interim government under Muhammad Yunus Constitutional?
Joy: It is definitely not constitutional. They have held an emergency hearing of the Supreme Court and it has ruled them legal. However, the ruling was very narrow and stated that because there was no government at all, then the interim government is legal. However, past rulings have made it clear that no matter what the situation, it has to be handled within the constitution, which means an elected government has to be placed in power as soon as possible. Elections have to be held within 90 days of the dissolution of Parliament. There is no scope to change any of this with any other means or a referendum. That has been tried by previous regimes and ruled unconstitutional.
Q. The protestors created a ruckus outside the Supreme Court demanding resignation of CJ. Is the demand correct?
Joy: Not at all. This just demonstrates that what we have today in Bangladesh is total lawlessness and mob rule. The mob demanded that the Supreme Court be replaced with their selected people and the interim government just did it. How can you change the Supreme Court of a country without any due process, democratic authority and just by a list from a mob?
.jpg)