Bangladesh’s Sheikh Hasina warns of mass voter boycott as her party barred from election

WebDesk October 29, 2025 2 minutes read

the government there was legitimate, the constitution was being upheld, and law and order genuinely prevailed,” she said.

Hasina’s departure triggered targeted violence against Awami League workers, though the streets have since remained largely calm. However, clashes erupted earlier this month during the signing of a charter for state reform.

‘Open fire on crowds’

Hasina was defended by a state-appointed lawyer, but said she would only recognise an “impartial” process, such as one at the ICC.

“The charge that I personally directed security forces to open fire on crowds is bogus,” she told AFP, although she admitted that “some mistakes were certainly made within the chain of command”.

“But on the whole, the decisions made by senior government officials were proportionate in nature, made in good faith and intended to minimise the loss of life.”

The prosecution, who insist the trial was fair, have played audio tapes verified by police that suggested Hasina directly ordered her security forces to “use lethal weapons” against protesters.

Hasina claimed the recordings had been “taken out of context”.

She also pointed to a crackdown on her loyalists since her fall, including when security forces in February launched “Operation Devil Hunt”, arresting thousands accused of trying to “destabilise” the country.

At the same time, she gave no information on the fate of the hundreds, if not thousands, of missing victims reported to have vanished into secret detention centres during her rule.

Earlier this month, lawyers for the Awami League requested that the ICC investigate reported “retaliatory violence”.

This includes allegations of “beatings and lynchings” which have “no realistic prospect” of being prosecuted in Bangladesh, senior British barrister Steven Powles KC said in a statement.

As for the future, when asked by AFP if she plans a return to politics, Hasina replied: “My priority is the welfare and stability of Bangladesh.”