A major political earthquake has once again hit Bangladesh as former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has approached the United Nations ahead of her planned return to Dhaka. A highly significant petition has been officially filed on behalf of Sheikh Hasina in the United Nations, through which she has made several sweeping and stringent demands, while following the emergence of this petition, panic and tension have gripped the political corridors and government circles of Bangladesh. Sheikh Hasina has asserted that the elections held in Bangladesh in the year 2026 were completely illegal and must be annulled with immediate effect. Along with this, she has strongly demanded the removal of the ongoing ban on her political party, the Awami League, so that political activities can resume normally.
This move by Sheikh Hasina before returning to Bangladesh is being viewed as a massive political gambit, while hasina has directly filed a petition in the UN against the severe restrictions and ban imposed on her party. The party has clearly stated that it's extremely difficult and practically impossible to get justice within the courts of Bangladesh at present, which is why the matter must be heard at the international platform of the United Nations. Notably, ever since the ouster and coup against Sheikh Hasina in the year 2024, multiple restrictions and a formal ban had been slapped on the Awami League. Despite various political maneuvers and efforts during the 2026 elections, the Awami League was completely denied permission to contest the polls, plunging the party into an existential crisis.
According to the prominent Bangladeshi newspaper Manab Zamin, this high-profile petition by Hasina could Notably escalate tensions for the incumbent Tarique Rahman government. The primary reason for this is that Hasina has directly termed the Tarique Rahman administration as completely illegal within her petition. The petition elaborately details the arguments and grounds on which the formation and legitimacy of this government have been heavily questioned. The petition filed by Sheikh Hasina states that the current government in Bangladesh is blatantly violating the fundamental rights of its citizens.
The petition specifically mentions that the government is grossly violating Article 19 regarding freedom of expression, Article 21 concerning the right to peaceful assembly, Article 22 pertaining to freedom of association, and Article 25 relating to the political rights of citizens. Hasina has also stated that her party, the Awami League, is the oldest political party in Bangladesh, yet it isn't being allowed to participate in the democratic process or contest elections. She firmly believes that this is a direct and severe infringement upon her political rights and those of her supporters.
Plus, Sheikh Hasina has leveled a serious allegation, stating that the government of Tarique Rahman managed to come to power in Bangladesh only because the Awami League candidates were barred from the electoral field. Hasina claims that had the Awami League been permitted to contest the elections, Tarique Rahman would never have been able to attain the position of Prime Minister, while by making this assertion, she has directly challenged the validity and mandate of the current administration.
Recognizing the gravity of the matter, prominent lawyer Steven Powles KC (King's Counsel) has filed the petition on behalf of Sheikh Hasina in the United Nations. The petition discloses that ever since the Tarique Rahman government assumed power, the situation has deteriorated to such an extent that no local lawyer in Bangladesh is willing to take up cases or represent Awami League workers and leaders, while the petition highlights that whichever lawyers or human rights defenders attempt to step forward in these cases are immediately subjected to violent attacks.
Due to all these circumstances, Hasina maintains that it's impossible for her and her party workers to secure genuine justice inside Bangladesh at the present moment. This is precisely why she has been compelled to seek the intervention and shelter of the United Nations. Through this petition, Hasina has primarily put forward two major demands: first, to secure official permission for the Awami League to contest elections in Bangladesh, and second, to conduct fresh elections in the country to truly restore authentic democracy.