New Delhi, Aug. 5 (ANI): Sajeeb Wazed, the son of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said Wednesday that “Bangladesh has become another Pakistan on India’s eastern front” and expressed concern over the alleged role of foreign intelligence agencies in Bangladesh.
Speaking ahead of Sheikh Hasina’s virtual address at an event hosted by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club (FCC) of South Asia in New Delhi, Wazed also questioned the reported death toll from the July-August 2024 protests in Bangladesh, citing discrepancies between figures released by the United Nations and those provided by the previous interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus.
“First of all, you have heard again and again about the deaths during the July 2024 protests. You have various counts on the numbers. You have the U.N. number of 1,400, whereas the government number is 800-something. Who are these additional 600 people? Where did the U.N. get those names?” he asked.
“Our party has written to the U.N. Our lawyers have written to the U.N. again and again. And today the U.N. has not provided any names,” Wazed added.
He alleged that the U.N.’s assessment covered only the period through Aug. 15, 2024, while claiming that deaths continued after that date.
“But more importantly, the U.N. only covers a period up to Aug. 15, 2024, but we know that the deaths continued. What is most alarming, and this is something that I believe the press, the international press, should really pay attention to,” he said.
Wazed also criticized the Yunus-led interim government, which has since been replaced by the government led by Tarique Rahman, over what he described as “blanket immunity” granted to protesters accused of killings.
“You see, the Yunus regime, one of the first things they did was pass an ordinance, which became law, called the Indemnity Bill, indemnifying all the protesters, everyone, blanket immunity, protecting them from any prosecution for any killings. That includes killings of civilians, that includes killings of our party members, and that includes killings of police officers,” he said.
“This is unprecedented. How can you have blanket legal protection for killings by anyone, especially the killing of police officers? This is unprecedented. This is completely against all human rights, against all norms of decency,” he added.
Wazed also alleged that tens of thousands of people, including members and leaders of the Awami League, have been jailed since August 2024 and that many are being held without trial, due process, or bail.
“Secondly, what you have had since August 2024 is tens of thousands of people behind bars. Many of them are Awami League members and leaders. Most of them are being held without any trial, without any due process, and without bail. Many of them are elderly, in their 80s. Their health is failing. Many of them have died in police custody,” he alleged.
Turning to India’s security concerns, Wazed said, “What should concern India most is that Bangladesh has become another Pakistan on India’s eastern front. You have another Pakistan today on your eastern front.”
“Foreign intelligence services, especially the ISI [Inter-Services Intelligence], have an open hand,” he added.
Sheikh Hasina was ousted from power in Bangladesh on Aug. 5, 2024, following student-led protests. She subsequently traveled to India, where she has remained.
Muhammad Yunus headed the interim government before elections were held in February this year.
Responding to questions about Sheikh Hasina’s virtual address, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said it had no involvement in the event.
“The interaction you refer to is being organized by a private media entity. The government has no involvement whatsoever in it. Neither does it endorse any views that may be expressed at the forum,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during Tuesday’s regular media briefing. (ANI)
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