Sheikh Hasina

Sheikh Hasina Wajed (Bangla: ??? ?????? ???????) (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.

Political career

Pre 1975 career

Daughter of the greatest politician in Bangladesh, 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 fire-brand leftist student leader Motiya Chowdhury, who much later joined Awami League and became a member of Hasina's cabinet.

Related Topics:
Motiya Chowdhury - Awami League - Cabinet

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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.

Related Topics:
Dhaka University - Awami League - Liberation war - 1971 - Sheikh Mujibur Rahman - West Pakistan

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1975-1981

Her political and personal destiny was irrevocably altered on the fateful night of August 15, 1975, when her father and 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 known freedom fighters during 1971. 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.

Related Topics:
August 15 - 1975 - Coup d'etat - Bangladesh Army - Freedom fighter - 1971 - West Germany - United Kingdom - India - New Delhi - May 17 - 1981 - Bangladesh

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Movement against autocracy

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. Thereafter, 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.

Related Topics:
Bangladesh Awami League - 1981 - Ziaur Rahman - Hossain Mohammad Ershad - Martial law - 1983 - Bangladesh Nationalist Party - Khaleda Zia - 1984 - House arrest - 1985

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In 1990, Hasina's 8 party alliance was instrumental along with another BNP-led alliance in finally overthrowing the Ershad regime. Ershad was forced to hand over power to a neutral caretaker government.

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First term as Leader of Opposition

Sheikh Hasina and her party Awami League participated in the 1986 Parliamentary elections held under 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.

Related Topics:
Awami League - 1986 - Hossain Mohammad Ershad - Opposition - 1987 - Dictator

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Second term as Leader of Opposition

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 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.

Related Topics:
Democratic - Election - 1991 - Caretaker - Shahabuddin Ahmed - Bangladesh Nationalist Party - Awami League - Khaleda Zia

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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, along 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.

Related Topics:
1994 - Magura - By-election - Khaleda Zia

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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.

Related Topics:
Campaign - Strike - Economy - 1995 - February 15 - 1996 - Farce - Caretaker - Habibur Rahman - June 30

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Term as Prime Minister

Awami League won 140 seats in the 1996 parliamentary elections. The support of the Jatiya Party and a few independents 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 there 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.

Related Topics:
1996 - Bangladesh

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A major coup by the new government was to strike a treaty between India and Bangladesh concerning the Farakka Barage, a bone of contention between the two countries ever since it was built in the 1960s. According to the treaty, Bangladesh was to receive 33 thousand cusecs of water a year. Hasina next went on to create a Peace Treaty with the tribal rebels in the mountainous southeast of the country, thus seemingly solving a problem as old as Bangladesh itself. Though rebel activities have reduced greatly after the treaty, the region remains a hotbed for tension.

Related Topics:
Treaty - Farakka Barage - 1960s - Cusec - Water - Tribal - Rebels

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On the down side, the Awami League was criticized for harbouring gangsters turned politicians, most notably Jainal Hazari of Feni. Her government was also criticized for overusing Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the media and naming many major institutions and constructions by his name. The Awami League maintained that previous governments have tried to systematically eradicate Sheikh Mujib's legacy from the country and that the honor he was getting was long overdue. The BNP also accused the Awami League of politicizing the administration and state-owned media. Her party was also accused of being lenient towards India, especially after a shoot-out between border forces of India and Bangladesh left many (mainly Indians) dead.

Related Topics:
Awami League - Gangster - Jainal Hazari - Feni - Sheikh Mujibur Rahman - Media

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During the last year of her rule, Transparency International declared Bangladesh to be the most corrupt country in the world. Though Bangladesh had almost always been in the bottom five, the unenviable last position created a uproar and was seen by many as a major failure by Hasina. Though Hasina has been voted out of office since, Bangladesh has remained at the last position. The opposition demanded that Hasina resign and declare early elections, but Hasina refused to do so. She became the first democratcially elected prime minister to complete her term.

Related Topics:
Transparency International - Corrupt

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Justice Latifur Rahman became the head of the caretaker government. Awami League alleged that he was biased towards BNP after he tranferred a large number of civil servants immediately after taking office. Later, Hasina would also accuse President Shahabuddin Ahmed and election official Abu Sayeed of biased actions.

Related Topics:
Awami League - Civil servant

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Third term as Leader of Opposition

The Awami League succumbed to a landslide defeat in the 2001 Parliament elections. It won only 62 seats in the Parliament, while the Four Party Alliance led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party won more than 200 seats, giving them a two-third majority in the Parliament. Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League rejected the results, claiming that the election was rigged with the help of the President and the Caretaker government. However, the international community was largely satisfied with the elections and the Four Party Alliance went on to form the government.

Related Topics:
Awami League - Bangladesh Nationalist Party - International community

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The Awami League has been irregular in the Parliament ever since. Hasina maintains that the ruling party doesn't give the opposition enough time on the floor. In late 2003, the Awami League started its first major anti-government movement, culminating in the declaration by party general secretary Abdul Jalil that the government would fall before April 30, 2004. This failed to happen and was seen as a blow to the party and Hasina herself, who had implicitly supported Jalil.

Related Topics:
Awami League - 2003 - Abdul Jalil - April 30 - 2004

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In her second term, Hasina has been faced with assasination attempts against herself and killings of important party personnel. Ahsanullah Master, a MP, was killed in 2004. This was followed by an assassination attempt on Hasina in Dhaka, resulting in the death of multiple party supporters, including party women's secretary Ivy Rahman. Finally, her finance minister Shah A.M.S. Kibria was killed in a grenade attack in Sylhet.

Related Topics:
Assasination - Grenade - Sylhet

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In June 2005, the Awami League got a boost, when AL nominated incumbent mayor A.B.M. Mohiuddin Chowdhury won the important mayoral election in Chittagong, the port city and second largest city in Bangladesh. This election was seen as a showdown between the opposition and the ruling party.

Related Topics:
Awami League - A.B.M. Mohiuddin Chowdhury - Mayoral - Chittagong - Port

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