Bangladesh Protests: Sheikh Hasina's Son Rules Out Her Political Comeback, Says ‘She’s Very Disappointed’

Bangladesh Protests: Ex-PM Sheikh Hasina will not seek a political comeback, her son Joy said as he defended her tenure ended by violent protests.

Bangladesh Protests: Sheikh Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, has confirmed there will be no political comeback for his mother following her resignation as Prime Minister of Bangladesh. Speaking to Newshour on the BBC World Service, Joy revealed his mother’s deep disappointment, "After all her hard work, for a minority to rise up against her." Joy, who was an official adviser to the Bangladesh prime minister until today, disclosed that Sheikh Hasina had been contemplating resignation since yesterday. She has left the country for her safety, a decision driven by her family’s insistence.

Defending her tenure, Joy told BBC, “She has turned Bangladesh around. When she took over, it was considered a failing state. It was a poor country. Until today, it was considered one of the rising tigers of Asia. She’s very disappointed.”

Addressing allegations of the Bangladesh government’s heavy-handedness towards protesters, Joy retorted, “You’ve had policemen beaten to death – 13 just yesterday. So what do you expect the police to do when mobs are beating people to death?”

The protests have resulted in hundreds of deaths, predominantly among protesters. In the capital, Dhaka, large crowds celebrated Hasina’s forced resignation as she landed in India after fleeing Bangladesh. 

A 17-year-old student, Fatima, expressed her joy to the BBC: "I'm here to enjoy my freedom. My country is free again. Me and my brother and sisters have fought for it - and it's finally freedom. We can do what we love - not what we're told to do."

Businesswoman Rasoova shared similar sentiments, stating, “The last few weeks made us so depressed... we had lost our freedom of speech. And today you can see everyone is out here. Victory is here.” She emphasised that the main priority now is to tackle widespread corruption.

Bangladesh Protests: BNP Chief Khaleda Zia To Be Released, Curfew To End Tuesday

In a significant development, Bangladesh’s President has ordered the release of jailed ex-prime minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Khaleda Zia, according to AFP. The release includes all other officials of the BNP. Following Sheikh Hasina’s resignation, Khaleda Zia called on people from all walks of life to remain calm amid the unrest. This appeal was communicated through a press release issued by Shamsuddin Didar, an official from the BNP chairperson's press wing, Dhaka Tribune reported.

An ongoing curfew will be in effect from Monday midnight until 6 am on Tuesday, as stated by the Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate. Starting Tuesday morning, all government, semi-government, autonomous, semi-autonomous, private institutions, factories, schools, colleges, madrasas, universities, and all educational institutions in Bangladesh will remain open, according to an ISPR press release cited by Dhaka Tribune.

The violent unrest on Monday resulted in at least 56 fatalities, with most of the victims suffering bullet wounds. Dhaka Medical College Hospital received 44 bodies, while police reported 11 deaths elsewhere in the capital and one in the port city of Chittagong, as reported by AFP.