Sheikh Hasina has issued a stark warning that millions of voters may stay home in the upcoming national election after her party’s exclusion from the contest. The former Bangladeshi leader says the ban on the Awami League undermines democratic legitimacy and risks plunging the country into political turmoil.
Hasina, speaking from exile in New Delhi, said she will not return to Bangladesh under a government elected without her party’s participation. She argued that cutting out a major political force will disenfranchise millions of supporters, and warned that a large‑scale civic boycott is now likely.
The interim government led by Muhammad Yunus has banned the Awami League, suspending its registration and blocking it from running in the February 2026 vote. The move followed charges against Hasina and other party figures in war‑crimes and human‑rights cases.
Hasina dismissed the legal proceedings as politically driven. She stressed that an election without her party would lack credibility and called for the ban to be lifted so the Awami League could contest.
Observers say the boycott threat raises fresh doubts about the election’s outcome and whether the next government will be seen as legitimate, both at home and abroad. The exclusion of a major party in a country with over 126 million registered voters sends a strong message.
Still, Sheikh Hasina added that her decision to stay abroad isn’t permanent. She said she would only return when the constitution is respected, laws are applied fairly, and elections are inclusive. That message will resonate beyond party lines: many Bangladeshis are watching closely.
