Threat to India is imminent: Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed warns of Islamist rise in Bangladesh

Hasina's son warns India of imminent security threat from Bangladesh's interim government

Sajeeb Wazed Joy, son and advisor of ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has warned that the interim government in Dhaka, led by Muhammad Yunus, is attempting to install an Islamic regime and that the country’s deteriorating security situation poses a direct threat to India.

In an email interview with The Indian Express, Wazed commented on the upcoming elections in Bangladesh, scheduled for February, from which the Awami League has been barred. He also addressed concerns over rising extremism, political exile, and the legacy of his family in Bangladeshi politics.

In an exclusive interview with The Indian Express, Wazed said India needs to engage the international community more actively to restore democracy in Bangladesh.

“Elections with the largest party, the Awami League, and the third-largest party, the Jatiya Party, being barred from participating disenfranchises half the voters of the country. This is going to be a rigged election,” said Sajeeb Wazed Joy, son and advisor of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, commenting on the upcoming February 12, 2026, elections in Bangladesh.

Addressing Bangladesh’s formal request for the extradition of Sheikh Hasina, Wazed stressed that due process must be followed. “In Bangladesh, there was a complete lack of due process. My mother was not even allowed to send her own attorneys. So I don’t think India has to do anything,” he added.

Wazed also voiced concern over the growing proximity between Bangladesh’s interim government and Pakistan. “This should be of grave concern to India. Our Awami League government kept India’s eastern borders safe from all terrorists. Prior to that, Bangladesh was used extensively as a base to conduct insurgency into India. That will resume,” he said.

He warned that the Yunus regime is empowering Islamist parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami. “The Yunus regime has given Jamaat-e-Islami and other Islamist parties a free hand in the country. In Bangladesh, the Islamists have never received more than five per cent of the vote. By holding a rigged election where all progressive, liberal parties in Bangladesh are banned, the Yunus regime is trying to establish the Islamists in power,” Wazed said.

Highlighting the security threats to India, he stated, “Terrorist training camps have already sprung up in Bangladesh. Known Al Qaeda operatives have been active there and commanders of Pakistan LeT have spoken at public events there. So the threat to India is imminent and very real.”

On the future of the Awami League amid its ban from elections, Wazed said the party remains a significant force in Bangladesh. “The Awami League has always received about 40 per cent of the vote, almost half the population. We have hundreds of thousands of activists. You cannot wipe out the support of half the population through an order. The Awami League is not going anywhere and will always be a major factor in Bangladesh. We have continued protests and they will grow. The Awami League will be back sooner or later.”

Reflecting on past protests, Wazed defended the party’s response, saying the Awami League had accurately gauged public sentiment but was hindered by the older generation’s distrust of social media feedback.

“Our social media teams alerted us to the growing discontent early on. We informed the leadership. However, the older generation does not trust social media feedback as much and so mishandled the protests,” he said.

Wazed described the Bangladesh Army as a “silent bystander” in the ongoing political crisis, while reaffirming his regular contact with his mother. “My messaging is simple, to expose the rushed and false verdict against my family and expose the lack of democracy and rights under the Yunus regime,” he said.

On leadership within the Awami League during Sheikh Hasina’s absence, Wazed noted, “That is for the party activists to decide. We are a democratic party and the party members elect the leadership. The party base remains completely devoted to my mother, so that is their choice.”

Wazed also reflected on his family’s legacy in Bangladesh, stating, “My grandfather led our independence movement and founded the country. My mother led the country to unprecedented development, stability and security. Their legacies are already cemented on the international stage."

He added that despite current political challenges, the values and contributions of his family would continue to influence Bangladesh’s future.