Jan 29, Kathmandu - Bangladesh's ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina has strongly criticized the upcoming general election in her country from her exile in India. She claims that the upcoming elections will not be inclusive, free and fair after her party, the Awami League, was banned from the polls.

Hasina, who was sentenced to death in absentia for suppressing the 2024 student uprising, warned in an email to The Associated Press. She said that Bangladesh would be plunged into prolonged political instability if there were no inclusive elections. She accused the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus of deliberately excluding the Awami League, disenfranchising millions of its supporters.

Hasina said that excluding large groups from the political process would deepen discontent and lead to further instability in the future. She made it clear that a government formed by exclusion cannot unite a divided nation.

About 127 million voters are participating in the February 12 election. This is the first election since Hasina was ousted from power in a violent uprising on August 5, 2024. The election is being monitored by an interim administration, while voters will also vote in a referendum on constitutional reforms.

While Muhammad Yunus has pledged to hold free and fair elections, the ban on the Awami League has raised questions about the inclusiveness of the election. Hasina's exit has raised concerns about human rights, the protection of minorities and press freedom in Bangladesh. Attacks on the Hindu community in particular and the growing influence of Islamist groups have drawn international attention.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by Tariq Rahman is seen as the main contender. Hasina, on the other hand, has argued that a legitimate government based on genuine popular consent is needed to end the cycle of political sanctions.