Ahead of court verdict, Advisor warns of election obstruction if party ban stays

17/11/2025 6:34

The son and adviser of ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Sunday that supporters of her Awami League would block February’s

national election if a ban on the party was not lifted, warning that protests could escalate into violence.



Sajeeb Wazed's remarks to Reuters came a day before a Dhaka court was due to deliver a televised verdict that is expected to convict Hasina, 78, in absentia on charges of crimes against humanity for a deadly crackdown on student-led protests in 2024. She denies wrongdoing and says the case is politically motivated.



A United Nations report estimated that up to 1,400 people were killed and thousands wounded — most by gunfire from security forces — during anti-government demonstrations between July 15 and August 5 last year, the worst political violence in Bangladesh since its 1971 independence war.