Bangladesh politics

Sheikh Hasina has ordered the Awami League working committee to return to Bangladesh and launch protests, calling the recent election illegitimate and the ban on her party "entirely unlawful."

At a Washington policy forum, analysts warned that sidelining the Awami League reflects fear of electoral defeat and risks undermining Bangladesh’s democracy, stability, and international standing.

Awami League leader Mahibul Hasan Chowdhury Naufel says Sheikh Hasina’s retirement is not a party decision, reaffirming her central role in leadership and future planning.

Sheikh Hasina is set to address international media from New Delhi on January 23, challenging Bangladesh’s interim government and warning against an exclusionary election.

Bangladesh’s Awami League has announced a boycott of the February 12 parliamentary election, with Sheikh Hasina urging supporters not to vote if the party and its symbol are excluded.