Bangladesh crisis: Politico Joy slams Yunus regime, India’s stance

Sheikh Hasina’s son slams Bangladesh coup and India’s extradition dilemma

Sajeeb Wazed Joy, son and advisor to ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has strongly criticised the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. In recent statements, he dismissed Dhaka’s extradition request for his mother as politically motivated and accused the current regime of releasing convicted terrorists while detaining political opponents.

Hasina was arrested in 2024 after being removed from power and later sentenced in absentia to death and life imprisonment for her role in violently suppressing student protests. She fled to India, where authorities have so far refused to extradite her.

Joy described the events leading to his mother’s removal as a 'political coup,' rejecting claims of a popular uprising. He alleged that the interim government has freed 'tens of thousands of terrorists' previously jailed under Hasina’s administration. At the same time, he claimed that 'tens of thousands of political prisoners' remain detained without trial.

He also questioned the legitimacy of the Yunus-led government, asking why elections have not been held if it truly enjoys public support. His criticism extended to the judicial process against his mother, citing the dismissal of judges and the exclusion of defence lawyers as clear violations of legal norms.

In addition, Joy accused Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI, of arming militants who infiltrated last year’s protests in Bangladesh. He further alleged that Lashkar-e-Taiba, a banned militant group, now operates freely in the country and has ties to recent terror attacks in Delhi. He credited India with saving his mother’s life, stating that militants had planned to assassinate her if she had not left Bangladesh.

Joy expressed confidence that Indian authorities would reject Bangladesh’s extradition request due to the absence of fair legal procedures in Dhaka. He declared that they would not appeal the verdict against Hasina until a democratically elected government, including the Awami League, is in power.

The former prime minister’s son has repeatedly framed the current regime as illegitimate and accused it of political persecution. His statements highlight deep divisions in Bangladesh’s political landscape, with ongoing disputes over judicial processes, extradition requests, and the treatment of political prisoners.

India’s refusal to extradite Hasina so far suggests the case remains contentious, with legal and diplomatic implications still unfolding.