Bangladesh's ex-premier to return home for polls, says Hasina's son

By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI (AA) - Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will return to the country when the transitional government decides to hold elections, Awami League party leader's son said on Friday.

Sajeeb Wazed Joy added Hasina has no plan of seeking asylum in any country, according to the daily Times of India.

New Delhi had Tuesday said Hasina, who fled Bangladesh on Monday amid countrywide protests, was in India.

“For the time being, she is in India. She will go back to Bangladesh the moment the interim government decides to hold an election in the country. I am thankful to PM Narendra Modi for saving my mother’s life at such short notice,” Joy told the daily, adding that Hasina’s party Awami League will take part in the election and “might even win.”

Weeks of protests since last month resulted in the fall of Hasina's 15-year-long rule. Some 400 people lost their lives during the student protests against public jobs quota.

After Hasina resigned on Monday, Bangladesh army chief Gen. Waker-uz-Zaman had announced the formation of a transitional government.

Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin dissolved the parliament Tuesday, which was elected in January when Hasina became the prime minister for a fourth time.

Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took the oath of office Thursday to lead a 17-member transitional administration in Bangladesh.

The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party has demanded a national election within three months to hand power to the people’s representatives.