Sajeeb Wazed Joy issued a grim warning that minorities in Bangladesh will be in danger as the current crisis unfolds. "You did not want Sheikh Hasina; now watch the minorities getting killed every day," he told a news channel. Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh's Prime Minister, fled the country in a chopper on Monday, a move her son Joy confirmed would mark the end of her political career. "She is 77 years old; it was going to be her last term anyway. She worked very hard to turn the country around from a poor country to a middle-income country that it is now," Joy stated.
When asked about his own political future, Joy dismissed any involvement. "No, our family has sacrificed three times for this country; now they will get the leader they deserve," he said, adding that his mother had been contemplating resignation since Sunday.
Joy emphasized Hasina’s pivotal role in Bangladesh's development. "She has turned Bangladesh around. When she took over power, it was considered a failing state. It was a poor country. Until today, it was considered one of the rising tigers of Asia," he noted, defending her tenure.
Justifying the government’s response to the protests, Joy said the use of force was necessary due to the violence against law enforcement. "You've had policemen beaten to death - 13 just yesterday. So what do you expect the police to do when mobs are beating people to death?" he asked.
Hasina reportedly may seek asylum in UK. The British government has urged the United Nations to lead an investigation into the recent upheaval in Bangladesh, which resulted in Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigning and fleeing the country.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy emphasized the UK's desire for a peaceful and democratic future for Bangladesh.
Notably, his statement did not address the possibility of asylum for Hasina.