Bangladesh may become another Pakistan, a major source of terrorist recruitment: Sheikh Hasina’s son warns India

Sajeeb Wazed Joy, son of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, warned on 5 August that Bangladesh could become another Pakistan, a major source of terrorist recruitment affecting India. Addressing the Foreign Correspondents' Club in New Delhi via video link from Maryland, USA, Wazed highlighted discrepancies between UN and Bangladeshi government figures on the death toll from the July-August 2024 unrest.

The UN cited around 1,400 deaths, while the government reported about 800. Wazed questioned the accuracy of the UN figures, explaining that his party had repeatedly written to the UN without receiving a response. He also expressed concern over an indemnity ordinance passed by the interim administration in 2024, which granted immunity to protesters, including those who killed civilians and police officers.

This ordinance, ratified by the current BNP government, nullified prosecutions for police killings during the unrest. Wazed warned that Bangladesh's security situation could resemble Pakistan's, citing examples of foreign intelligence agencies operating freely within the country, convicted militants being released, and Hizb ut-Tahrir holding public marches.

He argued that unless these developments were addressed, Bangladesh could become a significant source of future terrorist recruitment and activity.