Foreign Meddling in Bangladesh: Wazed Accuses Pakistan's ISI and the US of Stirring Unrest

New Delhi: After Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled Bangladesh on a military aircraft and landed in India on Monday, with the army stepping in to fill the power vacuum, her son, Sajeeb Wazed, accused both Pakistan and the United States of being involved in the turmoil engulfing Bangladesh. Wazed, who serves as an advisor to the prime minister on information and communication technology affairs, voiced his suspicions during an exclusive interview with Republic TV.

He pointed fingers at Pakistan's intelligence agency, ISI, and the United States as potential influences in the instability. “We know for a fact that Jamaat is heavily funded by the ISI from Pakistan,” Wazed noted, adding that the US had opposed Sheikh Hasina in recent elections.

Wazed described a disturbing scene in universities where groups were chanting, “We are Razakars. We are Razakars.” He compared this to chanting “we are Nazis” in Jerusalem, suggesting that these provocations were intended to incite violence and destabilize the government.

Wazed painted a bleak picture of the current situation in Bangladesh, describing it as “pure anarchy.” He elaborated, “Right now there's no law and order. It's pure anarchy.” He further explained that reports indicate that Jamaat supporters are targeting minorities and Awami League party leaders. “The Jamatis are attacking the minorities, and also the students are demanding that they will name the caretaker interim government, not the president and the army,” he said, emphasizing the complexity and danger of the current environment.

Wazed noted that many senior Awami League leaders have been forced to flee the country. “Their homes have all been burned, parliament has been ransacked, and factories have been burned down. Many of our party leaders have been targeted. So many of them have managed to leave the country, and we're trying to get others out,” he stated.

Wazed confirmed that Sheikh Hasina, who is 77-years-old, has no intention of returning to politics. “I don't think my mother has any intention. This was going to be her last term. She was going to retire anyway. She's finished with politics,” he said.

Wazed expressed his mother’s deep disappointment with the people of Bangladesh, reflecting on the efforts made to improve the country. “She gave her heart and soul to the country and really wanted to improve the lives of the people in the country, which she did,” he said, adding, “She's very, very disappointed, very deeply hurt, and disappointed.”

Wazed further confirmed that Sheikh Hasina might remain in Delhi for some time due to familial connections, as her daughter currently resides in the city. “She might stay a while because my sister is now in Delhi. So, you know, because my sister is there, she might stay for a while,” Wazed explained.