Hasina era may be ending, son Joy says in Al Jazeera interview

Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the son of ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, says his mother had planned to retire from politics after completing her term and may not return to frontline political life.

Joy made the remarks in a video interview with Al Jazeera English published on Thursday, months after Hasina was removed from power during the July 2024 uprising.

Asked whether Hasina intended to re-enter politics if she returned to Bangladesh, Joy said she did not. “She is old. My mother is elderly. This was going to be her last term anyway. She wanted to retire,” he said.

When asked whether this marked the end of the Hasina era, Joy replied, “Possibly, yes.”

However, he stressed that the Awami League would continue as a political force. “Awami League is a political party. It’s the oldest party. It’s been around for 70 years. It will continue with or without her,” he said.

Joy acknowledged that the Awami League mishandled the nationwide protests that erupted in July 2024. “Our government mishandled the protests,” he said, adding that the party has admitted mistakes in its response.

When the interviewer challenged his wording, noting that hundreds of protesters were killed by security forces, Joy said Hasina had sought to avoid bloodshed. He claimed she refused to authorize force to defend the prime minister’s residence because of the risk of mass casualties.

“That is what my mother said,” Joy said, adding that police officers and Awami League activists were also killed during the unrest.

Disputed orders and accountability Following the uprising, investigations by Al Jazeera and the BBC verified audio recordings in which Hasina is heard authorizing the use of lethal force against protesters. In one clip, she says security forces should “use lethal weapons.”

Joy said the recording was taken out of context. He claimed Hasina had ordered arrests and limited use of force only to protect lives and property from what he described as armed militants. He said the full audio clip had been posted on his social media, though the interviewer said it could not be found and asked him to share it.

Joy denied that Hasina had authorized broad use of lethal force. “It was for violent protesters, armed protesters, terrorists—not unarmed protesters,” he said.

Asked about specific deaths, including those of young protesters, Joy said excessive force had been used by some police officers and that several had been suspended. He said a judicial inquiry was formed but later halted.

Joy said Hasina met with families of victims and promised accountability. However, he disputed findings by international watchdogs and UN-linked investigations that estimate the death toll at around 1,400.

“My mother did not order any killings,” he said. “She did not want any deaths.”

Election tensions and warnings With the general election approaching, the Awami League has opposed the polls and protested its ban from contesting them. Joy’s earlier remarks suggesting that blocking the party could lead to violence have drawn criticism.

Asked about those comments, Joy said he was not threatening violence. “If you back someone into a corner, what will they do?” he said, arguing that the party has been denied the right to protest.

He rejected claims that the Awami League poses a violent threat, saying the party lacks the capacity to carry out violence and that many of its supporters are in jail. He also denied allegations linking the party to the killing of activist Sharif Osman Hadi, saying the shooter’s identity remains unclear.

“Our campaign now is asking people not to vote in these rigged elections,” Joy said. “That’s what we’re doing.”