Awami League Resurfaces from India Ahead of Polls

Sheikh Hasina lashes out at Yunus-led interim regime, calls February 12 election a “sham”

January 24, 2026: Days before Bangladesh heads into its February 12 parliamentary elections, the banned Awami League (AL) resurfaced publicly from India, where former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been living since her ouster in August 2024. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Hasina accused the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus of plunging Bangladesh into chaos, calling the country “battered and bleeding” and alleging the involvement of extremist and foreign forces. The Awami League was banned in May 2025 under the Anti-Terrorism Act, and its registration was subsequently suspended, barring it from contesting the polls.

Hasina termed her removal a “meticulously engineered conspiracy” and repeatedly branded Yunus a “national enemy,” urging citizens not to lose hope. She unveiled a five-point action plan that includes removing the interim regime, ending violence, ensuring minority and women’s safety, stopping politically motivated persecution, and calling for a UN-led impartial investigation into the events of 2024. Senior AL leaders echoed her stance, with former foreign minister A.K. Abdul Momen calling the upcoming elections a “sham” and warning that instability in Bangladesh could have regional consequences.

Awami League leaders also claimed they remain the country’s “de jure” government despite being out of power, rejecting the legitimacy of the interim setup. The party has dismissed UN human rights findings on killings during Hasina’s tenure as biased, while continuing to defend its record amid long-standing accusations of election rigging in past polls. Analysts note that while the Awami League still commands significant support, its path back to political relevance will be difficult without accountability, even as India has so far remained silent on the party’s political activities on its soil.