Dhaka, Jan 19: Sajeeb Wazed, son of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has strongly criticised the upcoming February 12 election in Bangladesh, describing it as a “staged drama” rather than a genuine democratic exercise. He accused the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, which he termed “illegal” and backed by the radical Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami, of orchestrating a pre-planned and rigged electoral process.
In a post on social media platform X, Wazed alleged that attempts are being made to legitimise an election outcome that has already been decided. He claimed that extremist fundamentalist forces, which he said came to power following the July–August 2024 demonstrations by using students as a front, are once again employing the same strategy to consolidate their control.
“The upcoming election in Bangladesh is not a transparent democratic process. It is a staged drama orchestrated by the illegal Jamaat-backed Yunus government,” Wazed wrote. He further alleged that the election is being used not to reflect the will of the people, but to establish fundamentalism under the guise of democracy.
Criticising the interim regime, Wazed said the government has no intention of turning the election into a democratic celebration. Instead, he claimed, it is following a “prewritten script” where the people’s voices and ballot boxes hold no real value, and decisions are dictated by predetermined plans.
Wazed stated that the people of Bangladesh now face a critical choice: either participate in what he termed a “farce” and legitimise fundamentalist forces, or reject the process to safeguard the nation’s future. He emphasised that this decision extends beyond voting booths and rests with the conscience of every citizen.
He further argued that an election excluding the Awami League—the party that led Bangladesh’s independence movement—cannot represent the true will of the people, calling it a conspiracy to seize state power.
Accusing the interim government of pushing the country toward economic decline, insecurity, and social instability, Wazed urged citizens to reject what he described as an “illegal, rigged election,” framing it as a call to protect Bangladesh’s future rather than a partisan appeal.
