Sajeeb Ahmed Joy, son of former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, on Monday alleged that the upcoming election in Bangladesh will be “rigged” and called on citizens to boycott the vote
Sajeeb Ahmed Joy, son of former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, on Monday alleged that the upcoming election in Bangladesh will be “rigged” and called on citizens to boycott the vote.
According to a News 18 report, Joy accused Islamic extremist groups of wielding influence in the country, saying that “terrorists are ruling in Bangladesh” and that Muhammad Yunus is working on their behalf.
“Terrorists are ruling in Bangladesh. Yunus is working on behalf of those Islamic extremists. Many innocent people have been killed. Many Awami League workers and police officers have been killed even though the party is not in power,” he was quoted as saying.
He added, “We promise justice. There has been anarchy in the name of mob justice. The election that is going to be held will be completely one-sided.”
He said that attacks on the National Party’s office — including arson, vandalism, and killings — are continuing while the United States reportedly supports Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairman Tarique Rahman for its own interests.
Joy further alleged that groups such as Lashkar-e-Taliban and Al-Qaeda are operating openly in Bangladesh, and said that progressive parties, including the Awami League, are being sidelined, making the election “a farce.”
He also criticised the use of postal ballots, which he claimed are being manipulated, and contrasted the current situation with the Awami League’s previous 17 years in power, when he said Bangladesh was free of terrorism.
Joy predicted that the BNP would win around 150 seats while Jamaat-e-Islami would secure approximately 130, and urged citizens not to vote, warning that the “outcome of this election is predetermined” and that the election “will not be accepted” if participation is low.
Bangladesh is currently under an interim administration led by Yunus as the country prepares for elections later this month. The main contenders in the polls are the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JIB), both of which launched their campaigns in late January.
The ruling Awami League, historically aligned with India, has been barred from participating in the elections due to its role in the violent crackdown on student-led protests in 2024. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, 78, who is currently in exile in India, was found guilty of authorising lethal force against demonstrators, which left around 1,400 protesters dead.
Hasina was tried in absentia by Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in November last year and sentenced to death. India has so far declined to extradite her.
Up to 127 million voters in Bangladesh are expected to head to the polls on February 12 for the country’s first national elections since Sheikh Hasina’s government was ousted in August 2024.
With inputs from agencies
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