Sajeeb Wazed Joy, son of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has clarified his stance on joining active politics in Bangladesh, stating that he has made no decision to enter the political arena and has never intended to engage in direct politics.
In a recent interview with Deutsche Welle (DW), Joy responded to questions from journalist Samantak Ghosh regarding his potential political future.
Referring to an earlier interview given by Sheikh Hasina to Reuters, the journalist asked whether Joy, as her son, plans to step into Bangladesh’s political landscape in the future. In response, Joy said, “I have no decision on this matter. I never wanted to engage in direct politics. I cannot say what will happen in the future. However, who will come into politics should be determined by the party workers.”
He added, “I have been living in the United States for 31 years now. I am living peacefully here. What happens in the future will be seen in the future.”
When asked whether he or his sister might consider entering politics, especially as Tarique Rahman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) remains politically active, Joy replied, “No, we have no such plans.”
During the interview, Joy also defended the 16–17 years of governance under the Awami League, claiming that Bangladesh witnessed unprecedented economic progress, development, and a strong stance against militancy during that period. However, he expressed concern about the country’s current situation, saying, “At present, the future of Bangladesh does not look promising.”
Regarding the future leadership of the Bangladesh Awami League, Joy emphasized that the party is democratic and that its leadership would be decided internally. “The Awami League is a democratic party. Who will lead the party will be determined by the Awami League itself. I cannot dictate that,” he said.
