In a recent interview with the Times of India, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, son of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, confirmed that his mother would return to Bangladesh as soon as the interim government sets an election date.

Joy expressed gratitude to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for providing refuge to Hasina, saying, "I am thankful to PM Narendra Modi for saving my mother's life at such short notice."

Sheikh Hasina resigned from her position and left Bangladesh on August 5 following a massive uprising led by students against her Awami League government. The protests, which had been escalating over the past three weeks, resulted in the deaths of more than 400 people, primarily due to police actions and violence from Awami League activists.

Joy stated that Awami League leaders remain under threat in Bangladesh. "I will do whatever it takes to save the party and its workers. If there is a need for me to join politics, I will not refrain from that. My mother would have retired from politics after the current term. I never had any political ambition and was settled in the US," he said. "But the developments in Bangladesh in the past few days show that there is a leadership vacuum. I had to get active for the sake of the party, and I am at the forefront now."

Following Hasina's departure, mob violence and rioting on August 5 led to the deaths of over 140 individuals. However, the situation has since calmed, with students continuing to demonstrate and law enforcement stepping up efforts amid reports of nighttime looting. There have also been targeted attacks on the Hindu community, particularly outside Dhaka.

Joy's comments coincided with the announcement of Tarique Rahman's return to Bangladesh. Rahman, son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has been living in exile. This development follows the establishment of a new interim government headed by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus.

"I am sure the Awami League will take part in the election, and we might even win. We have the largest supporter base in Bangladesh," Joy stated confidently. He dismissed any notion of his mother seeking asylum, emphasizing that "there definitely were 'mistakes.' When you run a country, a lot of decisions are made every day. Awami League believes in introspection, and we were ready for that. But we did not get a chance to do that this time. We never realized the situation would escalate so fast."

Joy also warned against a possible alliance between the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, expressing concerns for the safety of minorities and the security of India's eastern border. "If the Awami League is not in power, the eastern border of India will not be secure. If there is an alliance of BNP and Jamaat, that may not be good for India as Jamaat will not refrain from militancy," he said, urging India to exert pressure on Bangladesh to expedite the election process.

During its 15 years in power, the Awami League government and Hasina were known for their criticism of foreign intervention in domestic affairs. Joy's recent statements, however, signal a shift in tone as he acknowledges the need for introspection and the urgency of the current political situation.

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