GENEVA: Bangladesh's former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina warned that the country is facing a "serious constitutional crisis", saying its future must be determined by the "free and informed will" of its people rather than fear or force.
Speaking virtually at a seminar at the Geneva Press Club, Hasina accused the current BNP administration of political retaliation, arbitrary detention and politically influenced legal proceedings. She said such measures were harming students and professionals because of their political affiliations.
Hasina alleged that thousands of Awami League leaders, activists and supporters had been detained, prosecuted or forced into hiding. She also raised concerns over the use of criminal and anti-terrorism laws, arguing that due process, equal treatment and judicial independence were under pressure.
She criticised the ban on the Awami League and attempts to remove the party from political life through judicial and tribunal processes, saying an election cannot be genuinely representative if a major political force is excluded from political participation.
Hasina also expressed concern over alleged repression in universities and educational institutions, including the loss of student enrolments and certificates and the suspension of young professionals from employment because of their political identities. (IANS)
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