Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the son of ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has accused Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of playing a role in the recent unrest in Bangladesh. According to a report by news agency PTI, Joy pointed to circumstantial evidence indicating foreign interference and the possible involvement of ISI in the situation.
“I am quite certain given the circumstantial evidence; I suspect Pakistan ISI’s involvement. The attacks and protests were very coordinated, meticulously planned, and intentional efforts to keep inflaming the situation through social media. No matter what the government did to control the situation, they kept trying to worsen it,” Joy told PTI.
He also mentioned that the rioters targeted police using firearms, which he believes could only have been supplied by terrorist organizations and foreign entities. Despite the current turmoil, Joy emphasized that Sheikh Hasina, who is 76 years old, intends to return to Bangladesh once democracy is restored, although it is not yet clear if she will come back as a “retired or active” politician.
Joy also affirmed that the Sheikh Mujib family, to which they belong, will not abandon the people of Bangladesh or the Awami League, the country’s oldest and largest political party. He acknowledged that while he previously stated that Sheikh Hasina would not return, the ongoing attacks on Awami League leaders and workers have shifted their stance.
Joy expressed gratitude to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian government for safeguarding his mother, and he urged India to build international pressure to help restore democracy in Bangladesh. He also appealed to the interim government, led by Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus, to restore law and order, warning that the country is descending into chaos and risks becoming a “second Afghanistan” in the region.
