‘Who will replace me once I am ousted?’ Hasina asks political leaders

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has challenged leftist political leaders orchestrating protests against her government to say who they see as her successor if the Awami League were to be pushed from power.

The premier posed the question in response to a query from a journalist at a press conference on Thursday on her recent visit to Thailand.

“The farleftand farrightgroups in the country have formed a coalition and the two poles together are trying to topple the government - you said that two days ago. What message did you want to send to the nation?” a senior journalist asked Hasina.

“The leftists have turned ninety degrees,” Hasina said. “I want to ask you a question - those [leaders] we believe to be leftists are always very progressive and people-oriented groups. My question is, when they oust me, who will replace me? Have they determined it yet? Who will take on the responsibility of working for the country? Who do they want to bring to power?”

She pointed to the complete lack of clarity about her potential successors and said this ambiguity has prevented the leftist leaders from garnering popular support.

“Yes, they are continuing their movement. Some of them are continuing to stage a movement while living abroad. Since we made a Digital Bangladesh, they are taking advantage of it by organising an online movement. We can raise questions about that. Whoever wants to stage a movement, let them do it. We aren’t preventing anyone.”

To quell the anti-government movement, the Bangladesh government can adopt strategies similar to those used by the US police force, the prime minister said. “I think it’ll be good if we tell our police force to follow the US police’s lead on how to suppress a movement.”

“This is because we always asked the police to exercise restraint. Do you remember Oct 28 in 2023? I asked the police to be patient and when they did, they [the opposition] beat them to death. The protesters also attacked hospitals and torched vehicles. So, our police can now follow the US police. I think journalists will support me.”

The Awami League chief said the 2024 election was the best one in the history of Bangladesh and it upheld people’s rights. "Take a look at all of the elections in Bangladesh after 1975. Think about the yes/no vote in 1977. You’ll see that the 7 January election in 2024 was the most free and fair one and ensured people’s right to vote.”

The Awami League had a long-term goal to establish democracy in Bangladesh and it has always fought to do so, she said. “We must not forget that.”