Hasina will return once democracy is restored: Joy

Awami League President and former prime minister Sheikh Hasina will return to Bangladesh once democracy is restored, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy told PTI, an Indian news agency.
He also alleged that Pakistan’s ISI fuelled the unrest in Bangladesh.
He said the Indian government must “build up international pressure” for swift restoration of democracy in Bangladesh, PTI reported.
Joy said although 76-year-old Hasina would definitely return to Bangladesh, it is not yet decided whether she will be back as a “retired or active” politician.
He also asserted that the members of the Sheikh Mujibur Rahman family will neither abandon the people of Bangladesh nor leave the Awami League in the lurch.
He expressed gratitude to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government for protecting his mother and appealed to India to help build international opinion and exert pressure for the restoration of democracy in Bangladesh.
“Yes, it is true that I had said she wouldn’t return to Bangladesh. But a lot has changed in the last two days following continuous attacks on our leaders and party workers across the country. Now we are going to do whatever it takes to keep our people safe; we are not going to leave them alone.”
“She will definitely return to Bangladesh once democracy is restored,” he told PTI over the phone.
With Bangladesh set to get an interim government, Joy also urged it to restore law and order, noting that “the country is turning into a state of anarchy and becoming a second Afghanistan in the region.”
He said he also expects the interim government to create a level playing field whenever democracy is restored and fresh elections are held.
“You cannot exclude the Awami League and have a representative democracy in Bangladesh ever. Whatever his (Muhammad Yunus) personal views are, he has said that he wants a government of unity and wants to move forward and not let the mistakes of the past cloud over the future. I hope he stays true to his word,” Joy said.
Joy mentioned that once democracy is restored, either the AL or BNP will come to power, and the “Mujib family and Sheikh Hasina will be around”.
“She has been in touch with all our party leaders for the last two days. My mother was going to retire anytime soon, so we thought now that she is gone, they (rioters) would leave our party people alone, but that did not happen. Instead, they started attacking,” he said.
He declined to comment directly on whether he and his sister Saima Wazed, who is currently the South East Asian regional director for the World Health Organization, would join politics.
Blaming Pakistan for fuelling the unrest in Bangladesh, Joy said there is circumstantial evidence suggesting foreign interference and alleged involvement of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency.
He also pointed out that the rioters attacked police with guns, which could only be provided by terror outfits and foreign powers.
On reports of involvement of a US intelligence agency like the CIA, Joy said he had no evidence but added, “maybe, they are.” He dismissed any Chinese involvement when asked about it.
Dismissing reports of Hasina seeking asylum in the UK or any other country as “rumours,” Joy said the reports of her US visa being revoked are also untrue.
“At this point, she wants to go back to Bangladesh. It’s a question of when rather than if,” he said, hinting that the ousted Bangladesh PM will be staying at an undisclosed location in India for now.
Joy said India must act fast before anti-India forces gain more ground in Bangladesh.
Refuting claims that Hasina ran away to save her own life, he said the family insisted on stopping the bloodshed.
“She was not willing to leave the country. The prime minister’s security was ready to protect her till the end. But that would have led to hundreds of deaths of protesters who were marching towards the PM’s residence. We convinced her for the sake of Bangladesh, we cannot let her get killed,” he said.
“Our government was not weak, but my mother did not want to harm the students. Even after her leaving the country, the bloodshed has not stopped. The people will now understand the difference with and without Sheikh Hasina,” he said.