Can the fugitive top Awami League leaders return to Bangladesh?

Despite the challenges, leaders who are in hiding say that Awami League’s party structure remains intact through communication networks that keep leaders connected to workers

Five months after being forced to flee Bangladesh, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina remains connected to her Awami League party, which faces its most severe political crisis in decades.

With thousands of party workers in hiding and properties looted or destroyed, leaders say they remain hopeful for a comeback, though they acknowledge the challenges are immense.

In interviews with The Indian Express, Awami League leaders described a party in disarray after 15 years in power. A senior party official said the leadership is “disintegrated, scattered,” with a third of leaders in jail, another third in hiding abroad, and the remainder evading capture within the country.

The ouster of Sheikh Hasina in August 2024 led to widespread violence against Awami League leaders. Homes, offices, and businesses belonging to party members were ransacked or burned, leaving many with no means to rebuild. “There is no chance of rebuilding anything,” said one three-term MP whose properties were destroyed on the day Hasina fled.

A former Cabinet Minister in hiding reported receiving daily bundles of legal notices, with allegations piling up against senior leaders. Nahim Razzaq, a 44-year-old MP, described the dire legal situation. “We don’t have any judicial rights, no bail is being granted and we know if we return and demand elections, we will all be arrested and put in overflowing jails… the Awami League is ready to sit on the table and talk about elections but there is no environment for it,” The Indian Express quoted him as saying.

Despite the bleak circumstances, party members say discussions on their future continue. Leaders communicate through encrypted WhatsApp groups of 30-40 members, sharing updates from their respective districts. Former MP AFM Bahauddin Nasim said, “I receive 200-300 calls from workers every day, even while technically I am in hiding. That way the Awami League leaders are in touch with the workers and the workers are in touch with the people.”

Sheikh Hasina’s presence

Sheikh Hasina, referred to as “Apa” (older sister) in party circles, has stayed connected through virtual platforms, providing guidance and morale-boosting messages. Pankaj Nath, a former MP, said Hasina has been “regularly” engaging with party leaders via WhatsApp and remains optimistic about the Awami League’s future.

The leaders also indicated a potential strategy to return to Bangladesh on March 26, Independence Day, as a symbolic act. Senior members like 78-year-old Mohammad Haque, the former Minister of Liberation War Affairs, said the party looks to India to mobilize international opinion in their favor.

The interim government led by Muhammad Yunus has cracked down on the Awami League, freezing assets and rejecting bail petitions for leaders. Violence persists across the country, with Haque alleging that looted arms remain unaccounted for and that additional weapons are entering Bangladesh via the sea route.

Hope for the future

Despite the challenges, Awami League leaders remain hopeful. Nasim said the party’s structure remains intact through communication networks that keep leaders connected to workers in Bangladesh’s 70-odd political districts.

For many, the hope of returning to politics hinges on the restoration of the rule of law. Razzaq said robust discussions are ongoing about how to galvanise the party.