Staff Correspondent
Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina, while in exile in India, has given an interview to the Hong Kong-based English daily South China Morning Post. In the interview, she spoke openly about Bangladesh’s current political-economic situation, international relations, and the future role of the Awami League.
Below is the Bengali translation of the main part of the interview:
South China Morning Post: What is your position regarding relations with Pakistan in the coming months?
Sheikh Hasina: Bangladesh certainly needs stable relations with Pakistan, but this relationship must be based on equality and fair partnership. For this, we must elect a leader in whom the people have full confidence and who has the capability to conduct diplomatic negotiations at this level. The current administration has clearly proven that they have neither.
South China Morning Post: Do you plan to play any role in maintaining diplomatic relations with both China and India?
Sheikh Hasina: My highest priority is the welfare and stability of Bangladesh. I will remain vocal in favor of strong and constructive relations with these two great countries. As I have said before, we can be reliable partners for India and China only when a legitimate government is elected—one in which other countries have confidence that it truly represents the people and their interests.
South China Morning Post: The IMF recently forecasted that Bangladesh’s growth will be 4.9 percent in the 2025-26 fiscal year, which was 3.8 percent the previous year. How do you evaluate Bangladesh’s economic condition in terms of industrial production and employment?
Sheikh Hasina: This growth rate is actually extremely negligible—very low compared to Bangladesh’s recent historical growth trend. It is not enough to sustain the heroic efforts our country has made to rise from poverty.
We must remember that in recent times, the IMF has twice lowered Bangladesh’s growth rate.The truth is, since Yunus came to power, due to vindictiveness and misgovernance, factories have shut down, trade and transit have come to a standstill, many international buyers have become frustrated. This is a tragedy for Bangladesh. During my 15 years in power, GDP increased by 450 percent—one of the fastest growth rates in the world.
South China Morning Post: A new government has come to power in the United States. How do you see the relations between Washington and Dhaka in the coming months? Do you expect the new US administration to be sympathetic toward the Awami League?
Sheikh Hasina: At present, I cannot say anything about the relations between Washington and Dhaka. However, I know that the Awami League has always had good relations with the United States. I myself am a long-time admirer of President Trump and I have said this publicly. Of course, Trump is not a fan of Dr. Yunus—he has said this publicly.
South China Morning Post: Do you plan to bring any major changes to the party to strengthen the Awami League? If so, what kind and how much change do you expect? What role do you want to play yourself in the party and in the future federal government?
Sheikh Hasina: The Awami League has never been primarily a party centered on me or my family. Our party has depth, we have roots in every level of society. Whether in government or in opposition—the Awami League has much to contribute to Bangladesh’s ongoing welfare. We are ready to serve in any role. But our most urgent priority is—that we can contest in the upcoming elections. This is extremely important not only for the party’s fate, but above all for the interests of our country.
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