"Sheikh Hasina is gone, and her party leaders are in hiding: The anger was palpable, but she refused to listen."

 

Need to engage with interim govt, will be a long haul: Awami League leaders.

"I won’t be able to meet you,” one leader said. “I can talk over the phone since I’m underground,” another mentioned. “I’ll try to meet you somewhere safe,” and “I don’t know if I can meet you because your movements will be monitored,” were among the messages received by *The Indian Express* from Awami League leaders, including ministers of the ousted Sheikh Hasina government, as well as activists and intellectuals associated with the previous administration.

Over the past week, *The Indian Express* managed to meet a few of them at undisclosed locations and spoke with those in hiding, fearing retribution from opposition groups, including the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.

Many expressed a shared sentiment of abandonment, with one leader lamenting, “Hasina has abandoned the party and its people.” This feeling resonated across the Awami League, particularly after the unexpected events of August 5, when Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana fled the country, leaving her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy in the U.S. and daughter Saima Wazed in India.

Sources within the Awami League revealed that even her closest aides were caught by surprise when Hasina decided to leave. “We learned about it from TV,” one leader said, highlighting the shock and vulnerability that followed. The departure triggered violent reprisals from an enraged mob composed of political rivals and opportunists who targeted the homes, businesses, and offices of Awami League leaders.

Reflecting on the situation, some leaders regretted the decisions made, particularly the firing on students and protesters in July and August, which they believe escalated the crisis. They also blamed Hasina’s inner circle, described as a “Gang of Four,” for isolating her from reality. This group, comprising her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, investment advisor Salman Rahman, Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader, and the then Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, was seen as leading to her downfall.

A critical mistake, according to sources, was Hasina’s refusal to engage with BNP for the January elections, a decision now viewed as a major blunder that fueled public anger. Leaders believe that had the BNP been brought on board, the party could have retained power.

As the Awami League now faces an existential crisis, with senior leadership underground or arrested, some leaders are calling for a new direction. They suggest nominating credible, younger leaders who can reconnect with the people and begin the difficult task of rebuilding the party. Despite the anti-Hasina sentiment, there is hope within the party that they can regroup and reorganize for the future, but they recognize it will be a long road ahead.

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