Sheikh Hasina's Son Condemns Mother's Death Sentence as Illegal Trial by Unelected Bangladesh Regime

Sheikh Hasina's son has denounced her trial and sentencing as a "sham" orchestrated by an "unelected regime".

New Delhi:

Sajeeb Wazed, son of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has strongly condemned her trial and death sentence as a "sham" conducted by an "unelected regime." Speaking to NDTV from Washington DC, Wazed criticized the unusually swift 140-day trial that took place during a period when Bangladesh had no functioning parliament.

"This is an unelected regime. The government itself is completely unconstitutional, unelected and illegal," Wazed stated emphatically.

While clarifying that India has not formally promised protection for his mother, Wazed expressed confidence that India would reject any extradition request, noting it "would be illegal of India to comply with such an illegal request" given the circumstances in Bangladesh.

"An important trial was conducted and finished within something like 140 days from start to finish, which is almost impossible. They have to amend laws to enable these trials to be fast-tracked, which only parliament can do. And right now there is no parliament," he explained.

A special tribunal in Bangladesh, established for "crimes against humanity," sentenced the 78-year-old Awami League leader to death on Monday for her government's response to student-led protests last year. The tribunal labeled Hasina as the "mastermind and principal architect" of violence that reportedly resulted in hundreds of protester deaths.

Former Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal also received a death sentence on similar charges.

According to Wazed, his mother's message to the international community is that this verdict has no legitimacy due to its illegal nature.

"When the rule of law returns to Bangladesh, this will not be sustainable. It will all get thrown out. And we are going to fight for the time being. We are the oldest and largest political party in Bangladesh. We are going to fight for our rights and for democracy," he told NDTV.

Hasina has been residing in India since fleeing Bangladesh in August 2024 amid escalating protests. Despite an extradition treaty signed between India and Bangladesh in 2013, Wazed remains unconcerned about his mother's safety, asserting that the extradition request "comes from an illegal, unelected and undemocratic government."

"The trial itself was highly illegal, so why would New Delhi agree to such an illegal request? That will never happen," Wazed stated confidently.

He pointed fingers at Bangladesh's US-returned administrator Muhammad Yunus for increasing attacks against Hindu and Christian minorities in the country.

"Not only are they failing to stop the attacks; they are actually participating in them. The current regime is backed by the Jamaat-e-Islami and other Islamists. And that is why in these upcoming elections they have banned not just the Awami League, but all secular and progressive parties. They are doing it to set up an Islamic state in Bangladesh," Wazed claimed.

He emphasized that the Awami League, Bangladesh's oldest political party, is not in exile and continues to enjoy widespread support, evidenced by successful recent lockdowns called by the party.

"The lockdowns have been very successful and we are going to fight. Our people are in Bangladesh, we are still going to fight, whether anyone helps or not," he declared.

In her own response to the verdict from what she termed a "kangaroo court," Hasina released a statement saying the judgment came from a "rigged tribunal established and presided over by an unelected government with no democratic mandate."

She asserted that she was not afraid to face her "accusers" in a proper tribunal where evidence could be weighed and tested fairly.