Saturday
The PM of Bangladesh
Sheikh Hasina Wazed (Bengali: শেখ হাসিনা ওয়াজেদ) (born September 28, 1947) was the Prime Minister of Bangladesh from 1996 to 2001. She has been the President of the Awami League, a major political party in Bangladesh, since 1981. She is the eldest of five children of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the nationalist leader and first president of Bangladesh.
Sheikh Hasina's political career started as a student activist in Eden College in 1960's. However, she was mostly under the shadow of her father until her family was killed in a coup d'état on August 15, 1975. She and her sister Sheikh Rehana, who wehe re in West Germany at the time, were the only surviving members of the family. She later moved to the United Kingdom, and then was in self-exile in New Delhi, India before returning to Bangladesh, and Bangladeshi politics, on 17 May 1981.
Daughter of a politician in Pakistan, Hasina got involved in politics as a student. While at Government Intermediate College, she was elected vice president of the College Students Union for the term 1966-67. Her opponent was the leftist student leader Motiya Chowdhury, who much later joined Awami League and became a member of Hasina's cabinet.
In Dhaka University, Sheikh Hasina was a member of the Chhatra League (the student wing of Awami League) and secretary of the Rokeya Hall unit. During the liberation war in 1971, Hasina, then a young mother, was in house arrest with her mother, brothers, sister and her son. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was imprisoned in West Pakistan during this period. After liberation, Hasina's involvement in politics was minimal as Sheikh Kamal, her brother, was touted as Mujib's successor.
Her political and personal destiny was irrevocably altered on the fateful night of August 15, 1975, when her father and almost her entire family including her mother and three brothers were assassinated in a coup d'etat by a section of disgruntled officers of the Bangladesh Army, some of whom were freedom fighters during 1971.[1] Sheikh Hasina and her sister, Sheikh Rehana were on a goodwill tour of West Germany at that time. Hasina then sought refuge in United Kingdom and later, in India. She was exiled to New Delhi, India until May 17, 1981 when she was allowed to return to Bangladesh.
While living in self-exile in India, Sheikh Hasina was elected the president of Bangladesh Awami League in 1981. After she returned to the country, the erstwhile president Ziaur Rahman was assassinated in yet another coup in May, 1981. The following year, General Hossain Mohammad Ershad captured power through a bloodless coup and declared Martial law. In 1983, Hasina formed the 15-party alliance to launch a movement to oust him from power. She was in and out of prison throughout the 80's. Her party along with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by Zia's widow Khaleda Zia, were instrumental in the movement against the military rule. In 1984, Hasina was put under house arrest in February and then again in November. In March 1985, she was put under house arrest for three months at a stretch.
In 1990, Hasina's 8 party alliance was instrumental along with another BNP-led alliance in finally overthrowing the Ershad regime.
Interestingly, under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina, Awami League formed an alliance with Hossain Mohammad Ershad's Jayiya Party in 2006.
Sheikh Hasina and her party Awami League participated in the 1986 Parliamentary election held under President Lieutenant General Hossain Mohammad Ershad. She served as the leader of opposition between 1986-1987. Hasina's decision to partake in the election has been criticized by her opponents, since the election was held under dictatorial rule. Her supporters maintain that she effectively used the platform to challenge Ershad's rule. The parliament was dissolved in December, 1987.
The first democratic elections were held in 1991 after long dictatorial rule. A caretaker government, headed by Shahabuddin Ahmed, the outgoing chief justice, oversaw the elections. Bangladesh Nationalist Party won the election, and Hasina's Awami League emerged as the largest opposition party. Hasina was defeated in the Dhaka constituency that she contested by Sadeque Hossain Khoka, a future Mayor of Dhaka, but was elected to the Parliament from her home constituency in Gopalganj. Hasina accused BNP of "nuanced rigging" in elections. Hasina nevertheless offered to resign as the party president but later stayed on at the request of party leaders. Khaleda Zia of BNP took office as the first female Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
Politics in Bangladesh took a decisive turn in 1994, after Magura by-elections. This election was held after the MP of that constituency, a member of Hasina's party, died. Awami League was expected to win it back, but the seat was won by BNP. The opposition parties accused BNP of widespread rigging and the election commission of incompetence. The Awami League, with other opposition parties, demanded that the next election be held under a caretaker government, and that the notion of a caretaker government be incorporated in the constitution. The ruling party of Khaleda Zia, Hasina's arch rival, denied to give in to these demands.
Opposition parties launched an unprecedented campaign, calling strikes for weeks on end. The government accused them of destroying the economy while the opposition retaliated that BNP could solve this problem by acceding to their demands. In late 1995, the MP's of Awami League and other parties lost their seats due to prolonged absence in the parliament. The government declared elections on February 15, 1996, an election that was boycotted by all major parties but the ruling BNP. Hasina claimed that the election was a farce. The elected parliament, almost totally comprised of BNP members, finally amended the constitution to create provisions for a caretaker government. The next parliamentary election was held under a caretaker government headed by Justice Habibur Rahman on June 30, 1996.
Awami League won 148 seats in the 1996 parliamentary elections. The support of the Jatiya Party and a few independent candidates were enough for the 150+ seats needed for the required majority. Hasina took the oath as the prime minister of Bangladesh. She vowed to create a Government of National Unity. Though some smaller parties and a few individuals from BNP did join the government, the distance between the main two political parties (as well as their leaders) remained as large as ever. Hasina did manage to convince Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed, who led the first caretaker government, to assume the post of President. This selection of a neutral person as president was praised by her supporters as a proof of Hasina's good will to reach out to the opposition.
Sheikh Hasina's political career started as a student activist in Eden College in 1960's. However, she was mostly under the shadow of her father until her family was killed in a coup d'état on August 15, 1975. She and her sister Sheikh Rehana, who wehe re in West Germany at the time, were the only surviving members of the family. She later moved to the United Kingdom, and then was in self-exile in New Delhi, India before returning to Bangladesh, and Bangladeshi politics, on 17 May 1981.
Daughter of a politician in Pakistan, Hasina got involved in politics as a student. While at Government Intermediate College, she was elected vice president of the College Students Union for the term 1966-67. Her opponent was the leftist student leader Motiya Chowdhury, who much later joined Awami League and became a member of Hasina's cabinet.
In Dhaka University, Sheikh Hasina was a member of the Chhatra League (the student wing of Awami League) and secretary of the Rokeya Hall unit. During the liberation war in 1971, Hasina, then a young mother, was in house arrest with her mother, brothers, sister and her son. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was imprisoned in West Pakistan during this period. After liberation, Hasina's involvement in politics was minimal as Sheikh Kamal, her brother, was touted as Mujib's successor.
Her political and personal destiny was irrevocably altered on the fateful night of August 15, 1975, when her father and almost her entire family including her mother and three brothers were assassinated in a coup d'etat by a section of disgruntled officers of the Bangladesh Army, some of whom were freedom fighters during 1971.[1] Sheikh Hasina and her sister, Sheikh Rehana were on a goodwill tour of West Germany at that time. Hasina then sought refuge in United Kingdom and later, in India. She was exiled to New Delhi, India until May 17, 1981 when she was allowed to return to Bangladesh.
While living in self-exile in India, Sheikh Hasina was elected the president of Bangladesh Awami League in 1981. After she returned to the country, the erstwhile president Ziaur Rahman was assassinated in yet another coup in May, 1981. The following year, General Hossain Mohammad Ershad captured power through a bloodless coup and declared Martial law. In 1983, Hasina formed the 15-party alliance to launch a movement to oust him from power. She was in and out of prison throughout the 80's. Her party along with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by Zia's widow Khaleda Zia, were instrumental in the movement against the military rule. In 1984, Hasina was put under house arrest in February and then again in November. In March 1985, she was put under house arrest for three months at a stretch.
In 1990, Hasina's 8 party alliance was instrumental along with another BNP-led alliance in finally overthrowing the Ershad regime.
Interestingly, under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina, Awami League formed an alliance with Hossain Mohammad Ershad's Jayiya Party in 2006.
Sheikh Hasina and her party Awami League participated in the 1986 Parliamentary election held under President Lieutenant General Hossain Mohammad Ershad. She served as the leader of opposition between 1986-1987. Hasina's decision to partake in the election has been criticized by her opponents, since the election was held under dictatorial rule. Her supporters maintain that she effectively used the platform to challenge Ershad's rule. The parliament was dissolved in December, 1987.
The first democratic elections were held in 1991 after long dictatorial rule. A caretaker government, headed by Shahabuddin Ahmed, the outgoing chief justice, oversaw the elections. Bangladesh Nationalist Party won the election, and Hasina's Awami League emerged as the largest opposition party. Hasina was defeated in the Dhaka constituency that she contested by Sadeque Hossain Khoka, a future Mayor of Dhaka, but was elected to the Parliament from her home constituency in Gopalganj. Hasina accused BNP of "nuanced rigging" in elections. Hasina nevertheless offered to resign as the party president but later stayed on at the request of party leaders. Khaleda Zia of BNP took office as the first female Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
Politics in Bangladesh took a decisive turn in 1994, after Magura by-elections. This election was held after the MP of that constituency, a member of Hasina's party, died. Awami League was expected to win it back, but the seat was won by BNP. The opposition parties accused BNP of widespread rigging and the election commission of incompetence. The Awami League, with other opposition parties, demanded that the next election be held under a caretaker government, and that the notion of a caretaker government be incorporated in the constitution. The ruling party of Khaleda Zia, Hasina's arch rival, denied to give in to these demands.
Opposition parties launched an unprecedented campaign, calling strikes for weeks on end. The government accused them of destroying the economy while the opposition retaliated that BNP could solve this problem by acceding to their demands. In late 1995, the MP's of Awami League and other parties lost their seats due to prolonged absence in the parliament. The government declared elections on February 15, 1996, an election that was boycotted by all major parties but the ruling BNP. Hasina claimed that the election was a farce. The elected parliament, almost totally comprised of BNP members, finally amended the constitution to create provisions for a caretaker government. The next parliamentary election was held under a caretaker government headed by Justice Habibur Rahman on June 30, 1996.
Awami League won 148 seats in the 1996 parliamentary elections. The support of the Jatiya Party and a few independent candidates were enough for the 150+ seats needed for the required majority. Hasina took the oath as the prime minister of Bangladesh. She vowed to create a Government of National Unity. Though some smaller parties and a few individuals from BNP did join the government, the distance between the main two political parties (as well as their leaders) remained as large as ever. Hasina did manage to convince Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed, who led the first caretaker government, to assume the post of President. This selection of a neutral person as president was praised by her supporters as a proof of Hasina's good will to reach out to the opposition.
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