Picture between 2021-24, Somewhere in Bangladesh
Sheikh Hasina
Profile
Sheikh Hasina Wazed (born 28 September 1947) is a Bangladeshi politician who served as prime minister from June 1996 to July 2001 and again from January 2009 to August 2024. She is the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh’s founding president. Hasina is the longest-serving prime minister in Bangladesh’s history and was the world’s longest-serving female head of government. Her tenure was marked by significant economic growth but also by accusations of corruption, mismanagement, and human rights abuses. Her second term ended in self-imposed exile following violent protests and a mass uprising in 2024. She has been recognized internationally, including being named among Time’s 100 most influential people in 2018 and listed by Forbes as one of the world’s most powerful women.
Sheikh Hasina Wazed was born on 28 September 1947 in Tungipara, East Bengal, to Bengali nationalist leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib. Her family has Iraqi Arab ancestry, tracing back to Sheikh Abdul Awal Darwish of Baghdad. Hasina grew up in Tungipara and Dhaka, experiencing her father’s frequent imprisonment due to his political activities.
She attended Azimpur Girls’ School, Begum Badrunnesa Girls’ College, and Eden College, where she was elected Vice President of the Students Union. Hasina married M. A. Wazed Miah in 1967 and graduated in Bengali literature from Dhaka University in 1973.
After the assassination of her family in the 15 August 1975 coup, Hasina and her family were in Europe and took asylum in India. She returned to Bangladesh in 1981 after being elected President of the Awami League.
In 1981, while in exile in India, Sheikh Hasina was elected President of the Awami League (AL). Throughout the 1980s, under martial law, she faced frequent detentions. Despite the martial law, Hasina and the AL participated in the 1986 general election under President Hussain Muhammad Ershad and led an eight-party opposition alliance. Although her participation was controversial, she used the platform to challenge Ershad’s rule. The 1987 uprising in Dhaka and the subsequent efforts by Hasina and Khaleda Zia helped restore democratic governance after a constitutional referendum. The 1991 general election was won by the BNP.
Leader of the Opposition (1991–1996): In response to Ershad’s resignation and the BNP’s victory in 1991, Hasina’s Awami League became the largest opposition party. After losing two of the three constituencies she contested, she initially offered her resignation as party president but remained in the role at the party’s request. In 1994, following electoral disputes and allegations of rigging in a by-election, Hasina led her party in boycotting parliament.
Activity
During her first term as Prime Minister from 1996 to 2001, Sheikh Hasina oversaw several significant initiatives and reforms. Her administration implemented the 30-year water-sharing treaty with India and repealed the Indemnity Act, which had previously granted immunity to the assassins of her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. She also promoted economic growth through the New Industrial Policy, which encouraged private sector development and foreign investment. Hasina’s government achieved a notable GDP growth rate and launched various social programs, including the Ashrayan-1 Project and Ekti Bari Ekti Khamar scheme to support the underprivileged. Her tenure also saw the establishment of a more open telecommunications industry and advancements in women’s rights and local governance. However, her first term ended amid allegations of electoral fraud and political unrest.
As of August 2024, Sheikh Hasina faces numerous legal challenges following her tenure. At least 45 criminal cases have been filed against her, including allegations of murder and enforced disappearances related to recent protests. The International Crimes Tribunal has also launched an investigation into accusations of genocide and crimes against humanity linked to the crackdown on these protests. The interim government has revoked Hasina’s diplomatic passport and annulled a law granting special privileges to her family. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party has requested her extradition from India for prosecution.
The Padma Bridge graft scandal involved allegations against the Awami League government, claiming they sought bribes from the Canadian company SNC-Lavalin for a construction contract. The allegations were later dismissed by a Canadian court as false. Consequently, the World Bank withdrew a significant loan for the project, citing corruption concerns, and the bridge was ultimately funded by the Bangladeshi government, with the final cost being much higher than initially projected.
In 2018, Hasina’s government enacted the Digital Security Act, criticized for restricting freedom of speech and press freedom by imposing severe penalties for online criticism deemed inappropriate by the government.
In December 2022, the government ordered the closure of 191 websites accused of publishing “anti-state news,” including the Dainik Dinkal, owned by Tarique Rahman of the BNP. Critics argued this move was an attempt to suppress opposition.
In June 2024, Hasina’s state visit to New Delhi resulted in ten bilateral agreements, including a rail corridor for India through Bangladesh. This led to criticism in Bangladesh, with some accusing Hasina of compromising the country’s sovereignty.
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Somewhere in Delhi, India
In 1968, Sheikh Hasina married M. A. Wazed Miah (1942–2009), a Bangladeshi physicist and chairman of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission. They have two children: a son, Sajeeb Wazed, and a daughter, Saima Wazed. Saima’s father-in-law, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, is a former minister of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment and LGRD. Hasina’s only living sibling is Sheikh Rehana, who served as an adviser to the Tungipara upazila unit Awami League in 2017. Hasina’s niece, Tulip Siddiq, is a British Labour Party politician and Member of Parliament.
Sheikh Hasina has survived 19 assassination attempts throughout her career. The 2004 grenade attack resulted in hearing impairment. Due to the high security risks associated with her family, including the violent history of the assassination of Sheikh Mujib’s family, the Bangladeshi government provided lifelong protection through the Special Security Force in 2015. The interim government later canceled the law granting free utilities for life to Hasina and her family.