By Admin 
General elections are to be held in Bangladesh on 12th February. The Yunus government has barred exiled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s party Awami League from contesting the elections. Party activities have been banned. Sheikh Hasina has issued her first public speech while in exile. He has called upon the citizens of Bangladesh to stand up against the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. It has also been said that the present government is incapable of conducting free and fair elections.
Sheikh Hasina issued speech three weeks before the elections
In a speech given less than three weeks before the general elections, Hasina appealed to end violence and chaos in the country. Also, concrete guarantees have been demanded for the safety of religious minorities, women and vulnerable communities. Hasina has also urged the United Nations to conduct a new and completely impartial investigation into the events that followed the toppling of her government.
Awami League President Sheikh Hasina’s message on the sham election which is being staged by the #YunusRegime in the name of #democracy. pic.twitter.com/UrpjpC6VG6
— Bangladesh Awami League (@albd1971) January 24, 2026
Sheikh Hasina has released the speech through an audio
Sheikh Hasina, who is living in voluntary exile in India, has said many things in her speech. He has released an audio of his speech. This recording was played at the Foreign Correspondents Club in a program titled Save Democracy in Bangladesh. His speech came a day after the election campaign began in Bangladesh. Elections are being held in Bangladesh without Awami League.
Hasina called Yunus power hungry and a traitor
In her speech, Hasina has called Yunus a corrupt, power-hungry traitor. He has been accused of being involved in a conspiracy to remove him from the post. He declared that in this hour the entire country must rise united and inspired by the spirit of our great liberation struggle. The brave sons and daughters of Bangladesh will have to protect and restore the Constitution written with the blood of martyrs to uproot this puppet government serving the foreign enemy at any cost. Our freedom must be regained. Our sovereignty must be protected. Our democracy has to be revived.
Reiterating the speech she gave to Awami League supporters abroad, Hasina recalled the party’s role in the liberation war in 1971. He appealed to everyone to work towards a welfare democratic state. He has put forward five demands on behalf of Awami League. This includes restoring democracy by removing the illegal Yunus administration.
Hasina appeals to stop violence against minorities and weaker sections
Apart from this, he has demanded to stop the daily incidents of violence and the current chaotic period. Along with this, a demand has been made to ensure the safety of minorities, women and girls and weaker people of the society. Also appealed to stop the legal tricks being used to intimidate. There is a demand to restore confidence in the judiciary. Sheikh Hasina focused her criticism on the Yunus government. He has been accused of failing to stop attacks by extremist communal forces and foreign criminals.
BNP is expected to dominate the coming elections. Also, the fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami is expected to be strong on the ground. In such a situation, Sheikh Hasina’s speech has been seen as an attempt to keep the Awami League politically relevant. Although Awami League enjoys considerable support in Bangladesh, the party leaders are forced to live in exile abroad.