‘I cannot meet you; ‘I’m in hiding, can talk to you on the phone’; ‘I will try to meet you somewhere safe’; “Your movements will be monitored, which is why I don’t know if I can meet you.”
The Indian Express received these messages from some Awami League leaders and activists associated with the previous government, including the ousted Sheikh Hasina’s minister.
Over the past week, The Indian Express journalist Shubojit Roy has met some of them in undisclosed locations in Bangladesh and spoken to these people who are in hiding fearing reprisals from opposition parties including BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.
All of them said almost one thing, “Hasina has left the party and the people.” Referring to Sheikh Hasina, an Awami League leader said, “You have left us.”
Many others shared this same feeling of leaving activists behind. Those who had no idea about the events of August 5.
Sheikh Hasina resigned that day and fled the country along with her sister Sheikh Rehana. Sheikh Hasina’s son Sajib Wazed Joy is in the United States and daughter Saima Wazed is currently in India.
Several Awami League sources said Sheikh Hasina’s decision to leave the country has “absolutely surprised” her cabinet and even her close aides. An Awami League leader said, “We came to know about his departure from the country on television.”
Sheikh Hasina’s decision to leave the country in this way has put their lives in danger and angry mobs—protesters, activists of political rivals BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami and opportunists—are targeting Awami League leaders’ homes, businesses and party offices. They are burning them, vandalizing them, looting them.
“We managed to leave our house just in time, when the army chief was addressing the nation around 3 pm and people were watching the TV screens,” said an Awami League leader.
Another leader, who was a member of Sheikh Hasina’s cabinet, said, “If caught, my family and I would have been beaten and burned alive.”
During Awami League’s 15-and-a-half-year rule, opposition leaders have been targeted by Sheikh Hasina’s government. They have been jailed, beaten, intimidated and harassed. But suddenly the situation changed.
Looking back at recent events, some lamented especially the firing on students and protesters in July and then August 3-4 when people took to the streets. Protesters broke curfew on August 5, the day the government fell.
“She (Sheikh Hasina) stopped listening to us,” said a leader, blaming a group within the Awami League for the fall of the government. One of the leaders called this group “The Gang of Four”. He said that those who kept him (Sheikh Hasina) isolated from the actual situation on the ground.
This gang of four is Sheikh Hasina’s son Sajib Wazed Joy, investment adviser Salman Rahman, Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader and the then home minister Asaduzzaman Khan. The Awami League leader said, “This gang of four led his downfall. And Sheikh Hasina had blind faith in these four people and lost the political wisdom she had in the past because of them.’
Not bringing the BNP to the polls in January this year is being described as Sheikh Hasina’s “big mistake”. According to multiple sources, some Awami League leaders contacted BNP leader and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s son Tariq Rahman in London through intermediaries.
A backchannel proposal was also made to bring the BNP into the polls, a source said. We thought of establishing that channel with Tarek in January 2023, a year before the January 2024 elections. But Sheikh Hasina did not give green signal to this proposal.
According to an Awami League leader, Sheikh Hasina’s refusal to maintain contact with the BNP chief’s son was a big mistake. Because preparing the BNP for elections under a caretaker government would have mitigated the anger and grievances of the opposition.
The leader said, “We could see the anger created among the people due to corruption, extortion, police brutality… and if BNP was brought on board for the election, that anger would have stopped. If we did that, we could win and keep the team in power.”
He said, especially after winning the January 2024 elections, the leaders and activists feel that Sheikh Hasina has become more stubborn and has not listened to anyone’s advice. After his fourth consecutive victory, he became overconfident and failed to understand the extent of public anger over the protests that erupted over the quota reforms.
Sources said some leaders had tactfully urged Sheikh Hasina to sit down with the protesting students in early July. But he rejected it
The last nail in the coffin of Sheikh Hasina’s government was when the intelligence wing of the police picked up the students who had led the protest in July and released them with a promise to withdraw their intimidation and forced movement.
This strategy backfired and students revealed how they were forced to withdraw the movement. After this, some incidents happened, as a result of which Sheikh Hasina was forced to leave the country. Fearing for their lives, many activists and intellectuals of Awami League took shelter in various cantonments of the country.
In a statement, the Bangladesh Army said that 626 people of various classes and professions, including 26 political leaders, have been given shelter. Apart from Awami League political leaders, 5 judges, 19 officials of civil administration, 28 police officers, 487 policemen of various positions, 12 people of various professions including public university officials and 51 families have been sheltered in various cantonments across the country.
After winning the January 2024 elections, Sheikh Hasina became more stubborn and did not listen to anyone’s advice.
Sheikh Hasina’s investment advisor Salman F Rahman, Law Minister Anisul Haque and some other ministers were caught trying to flee the country. Besides, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud was detained while traveling abroad.
After Hasina left, senior Awami League leaders went into hiding and some were arrested. Party leaders say the 50-year-old party, which has ruled the country for 15-and-a-half years, is now facing an existential crisis.
An Awami League leader said about the first step forward, “She (Hasina) should pick people from the grassroots, some young Awami leaders to restructure the party; Those who have credibility, connect with people and of course have loyalty to the family (of Sheikh Hasina)… It’s going to be a long way.’
Regarding the long preparation of the cases and complaints that are being filed against the Awami League leaders, he said that at least one general secretary or one official should be appointed; Who can write a petition to the government under the banner of Awami League. If the arrested leaders-activists have to seek legal rights, then it should be done. However, at the moment no one has been nominated for such a post, he said.
“We had a strong base and a network of people,” said the Awami League leader, pointing to the BNP led by Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Abdul Moin Khan, Amir Khusru Mahmud Chowdhury, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi while Khaleda Zia was in jail and Tariq Rahman was in London. Many defected, as did some opportunists.
There will be such people among the supporters too. But we should at least have someone or a group of people who can join the interim government and participate in elections if they are held. It is the need of the hour.
Although public sentiment on the streets is against Sheikh Hasina and Awami League, Awami League leaders feel that the Hasina family and her successor Sajeeb Wazed Joy should make a minimum statement
An Awami League leader said, “People are still angry…they have to give time. Be it a few years in power, be it an interim government or a future government led by BNP or Jamaat, we have the ability to turn around. But we have to think about restructuring and organizing ourselves in the long term.”