Saturday, 13 September, 2025
Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India following the July Uprising, clung to power for years by manipulating elections and abusing state authority, according to a testimony by late intellectual Badruddin Umar. He said Hasina’s grip on the electoral system ultimately severed her ties with the people.
Badruddin Umar — eminent writer, researcher, and president of Jatiya Mukti Council — who passed away recently, made these remarks in his final statement as a witness to the investigating officer (IO) in the case against Sheikh Hasina and three others at the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on charges of crimes against humanity.
Speaking to journalists, ICT Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim said, “Late Badruddin Umar was an important witness in Sheikh Hasina's case. Although he could not appear in person before the tribunal, he gave his testimony to the investigating officer.”
Citing section 19 (2) of the International Crimes Tribunal Act, the prosecutor added that if a witness dies after giving evidence to the IO, the tribunal can accept the testimony on application of the prosecution.
Quoting Umar’s testimony, Prosecutor Tamim said: “Sheikh Hasina manipulated every election since assuming office in 2009 until 2024. She succeeded by bringing all state institutions under her control — from the Election Commission (EC) to the police and bureaucracy.”
Umar observed that Hasina had decided from the very beginning to control elections, which was incompatible with the caretaker government system. Although she campaigned for such a system in 1996, once in power she abolished it in 2009, realizing fair polls would make it impossible for her to return to office.
According to his testimony, Hasina tightened her grip on the administration through both inducements — bribes, money, and privileges — and intimidation. By 2009, her control was complete, enabling her to stage the 2014, 2018, and 2024 elections.
“In 2014, voters were barred from entering polling centers. In 2018, ballots were stuffed the night before polling day. The same was repeated in 2024. Although she declared victory each time, she lacked genuine public support,” Umar said.
He added that Hasina not only rigged elections but also brutally suppressed political opponents, using arbitrary arrests, prolonged detentions, and inhumane torture. He alleged that a secret torture cell named “Ayna Ghar” was created, which did not exist even during Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s rule.
Reflecting on the 2024 mass uprising, Umar described it as an unparalleled event in the Indian subcontinent: “Such a powerful, spontaneous uprising has never occurred in India or Pakistan. Compared to earlier movements in 1952, 1969, and 1990, the 2024 uprising was the most transformative. It forced the regime to flee without any organized political leadership behind it.”
He noted that not only Sheikh Hasina, but also her cabinet, party leaders, and grassroots activists abandoned the country in panic. “The collapse of such a large political party and its flight en masse has no precedent, not even in Syria or other nations after dictatorships fell,” Umar stated.
He further testified that after Hasina’s departure, ordinary citizens spontaneously demolished statues and murals of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman across the country — without any organized directive — symbolizing the depth of the revolution.
Badruddin Umar passed away at 10:05 am on September 7 at Bangladesh Specialized Hospital, aged 94. He had long been suffering from age-related complications.
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Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India following the July Uprising, clung to power for years by manipulating elections and abusing state authority, according to a testimony by late intellectual Badruddin Umar. He said Hasina’s grip on the electoral system ultimately severed her ties with the people.
Badruddin Umar — eminent writer, researcher, and president of Jatiya Mukti Council — who passed away recently, made these remarks in his final statement as a witness to the investigating officer (IO) in the case against Sheikh Hasina and three others at the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on charges of crimes against humanity.
Speaking to journalists, ICT Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim said, “Late Badruddin Umar was an important witness in Sheikh Hasina's case. Although he could not appear in person before the tribunal, he gave his testimony to the investigating officer.”
Citing section 19 (2) of the International Crimes Tribunal Act, the prosecutor added that if a witness dies after giving evidence to the IO, the tribunal can accept the testimony on application of the prosecution.
Quoting Umar’s testimony, Prosecutor Tamim said: “Sheikh Hasina manipulated every election since assuming office in 2009 until 2024. She succeeded by bringing all state institutions under her control — from the Election Commission (EC) to the police and bureaucracy.”
Umar observed that Hasina had decided from the very beginning to control elections, which was incompatible with the caretaker government system. Although she campaigned for such a system in 1996, once in power she abolished it in 2009, realizing fair polls would make it impossible for her to return to office.
According to his testimony, Hasina tightened her grip on the administration through both inducements — bribes, money, and privileges — and intimidation. By 2009, her control was complete, enabling her to stage the 2014, 2018, and 2024 elections.
“In 2014, voters were barred from entering polling centers. In 2018, ballots were stuffed the night before polling day. The same was repeated in 2024. Although she declared victory each time, she lacked genuine public support,” Umar said.
He added that Hasina not only rigged elections but also brutally suppressed political opponents, using arbitrary arrests, prolonged detentions, and inhumane torture. He alleged that a secret torture cell named “Ayna Ghar” was created, which did not exist even during Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s rule.
Reflecting on the 2024 mass uprising, Umar described it as an unparalleled event in the Indian subcontinent: “Such a powerful, spontaneous uprising has never occurred in India or Pakistan. Compared to earlier movements in 1952, 1969, and 1990, the 2024 uprising was the most transformative. It forced the regime to flee without any organized political leadership behind it.”
He noted that not only Sheikh Hasina, but also her cabinet, party leaders, and grassroots activists abandoned the country in panic. “The collapse of such a large political party and its flight en masse has no precedent, not even in Syria or other nations after dictatorships fell,” Umar stated.
He further testified that after Hasina’s departure, ordinary citizens spontaneously demolished statues and murals of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman across the country — without any organized directive — symbolizing the depth of the revolution.
Badruddin Umar passed away at 10:05 am on September 7 at Bangladesh Specialized Hospital, aged 94. He had long been suffering from age-related complications.
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