Sheikh Hasina

Sheikh Hasina
Hasina in 2024
Sheikh Hasina
Born	Hasina Sheikh 28 9, 1947
Birthplace	Tungipara, East Bengal, Pakistan (now Gopalganj District, Bangladesh)
Nationality	Bangladeshi
Occupation	Politician
Title	Prime Minister of Bangladesh
Known for	Longest-serving Prime Minister of Bangladesh; President of the Awami League
Education	Master of Arts (Bengali literature), University of Dhaka
Awards	UNESCO Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize (1998), FAO Ceres Medal, Indira Gandhi Peace Prize
Website	[http://www.pmo.gov.bd Official site]

Sheikh Hasina Wazed (born 28 September 1947) is a Bangladeshi politician who served as Prime Minister of Bangladesh in two separate tenures: from 1996 to 2001 and from 2009 to 2024. The eldest daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding leader and first president of Bangladesh, she has been the president of the Bangladesh Awami League since 1981. Hasina is Bangladesh's longest-serving prime minister and one of the longest-serving female heads of government in the world. Her political career has been shaped by the legacy of her father's leadership during the Bangladesh Liberation War and by his assassination in 1975, which forced her into years of exile. After returning to Bangladesh in 1981, she led the Awami League through decades of political turbulence, playing a central role in the 1990 movement that restored parliamentary democracy. Her second and longer stint in power, beginning in 2009, was characterized by substantial economic growth and large-scale infrastructure projects, but also by mounting domestic and international criticism over democratic backsliding, human rights abuses, enforced disappearances, and restrictions on political opposition and press freedom. In July 2024, a student-led protest movement was met with lethal force by security forces, resulting in the deaths of hundreds. The unrest escalated into a broader uprising that led to Hasina's resignation and departure from Bangladesh on 5 August 2024. In November 2025, she was convicted in absentia by the Bangladeshi International Crimes Tribunal on charges of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death, a verdict she rejected as politically motivated.

Early Life

Sheikh Hasina was born on 28 September 1947 in Tungipara, a village in the Gopalganj subdivision of the Faridpur District in what was then East Bengal, British India (which became East Pakistan following the Partition of India shortly after her birth). She was the eldest of five children of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib. Her father was already active in the Bengali political movement at the time of her birth and would go on to become the central figure of the Bengali nationalist cause, eventually founding Bangladesh as an independent nation in 1971.

Hasina grew up in a politically charged household. Her father's activism meant that he was frequently imprisoned by Pakistani authorities, and the family endured long periods of separation and uncertainty. The political environment of East Pakistan during the 1950s and 1960s — marked by the Bengali language movement, demands for provincial autonomy, and escalating tensions with the central government in West Pakistan — formed the backdrop of her formative years.

The most traumatic event of Hasina's early life came on 15 August 1975, when her father, by then the President of Bangladesh, was assassinated along with most of his family in a military coup. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his wife Fazilatunnesa, three sons, and other relatives were killed in the attack. Hasina and her younger sister Sheikh Rehana survived because they were abroad at the time, visiting West Germany. Unable to return to Bangladesh in the aftermath of the coup, Hasina went into exile, spending much of the next six years in India and other countries. The assassination profoundly shaped her political identity and her determination to return to Bangladesh and restore the Awami League to prominence.

Education

Sheikh Hasina received her early education in Tungipara and later in Dhaka as her father's political career moved the family to the capital. She attended Azimpur Girls' School and later Badrunnessa Government Girls' College in Dhaka, where she was involved in student politics. She enrolled at the University of Dhaka, where she studied Bengali literature and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. She subsequently completed a Master of Arts in Bengali literature from the same institution. During her time at the University of Dhaka, she was active in student organizations affiliated with the Awami League, serving as the vice-president and later as a member of the student union. Her years at university coincided with a period of intense political agitation in East Pakistan, including the Six Point Movement led by her father in 1966 and the Mass Uprising of 1969.

She later received numerous honorary degrees from institutions around the world, including Waseda University in Japan and the Australian National University. She was also conferred the Desikottama, the highest honorary degree awarded by Visva-Bharati University in India.

Career

Return from Exile and Rise in the Awami League (1981–1990)

Following the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975, the Awami League was in disarray, and Bangladesh experienced a period of military rule under successive regimes. Sheikh Hasina, living in exile primarily in India, was elected president of the Awami League in absentia on 16 February 1981 at a council session of the party. Her election was intended to revive the party under the symbolic authority of the founding leader's family.

Hasina returned to Bangladesh on 17 May 1981 to a large public reception. Her return marked the beginning of a prolonged struggle against the military government of Hussain Muhammad Ershad, who had seized power in a coup in 1982. Throughout the 1980s, Hasina led the Awami League in a campaign of civil disobedience and opposition to military rule. She was placed under house arrest on multiple occasions by the Ershad government.

She served as a member of parliament from 1986 to 1988, during a period when the Awami League briefly participated in elections under the Ershad regime before boycotting the political process again. Throughout this period, Hasina and Khaleda Zia, the leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and widow of assassinated president Ziaur Rahman, emerged as the two dominant figures of Bangladeshi opposition politics. Despite their shared opposition to military rule, the two leaders became fierce political rivals — a dynamic that would shape Bangladeshi politics for decades and was frequently referred to in the media as the "Battle of the Begums."

Role in the Restoration of Democracy (1990–1991)

The anti-Ershad movement reached its climax in late 1990. Hasina and Khaleda Zia jointly led a mass uprising that forced Ershad to resign on 6 December 1990, paving the way for the restoration of parliamentary democracy. A caretaker government oversaw the transition, and general elections were held in February 1991. The BNP won the election, and Khaleda Zia became prime minister. Hasina's Awami League became the main opposition party, and Hasina served as Leader of the Opposition from 1991 to 1996.

During this period, Hasina was a vocal critic of the BNP government. She led parliamentary boycotts and street agitations, demanding the establishment of a neutral caretaker government system to oversee future elections. This demand became a central issue of Bangladeshi politics in the 1990s and contributed to a prolonged political crisis. The Awami League boycotted the February 1996 general election, which was held without the participation of major opposition parties and was considered illegitimate by many observers. The resulting political pressure led to a constitutional amendment establishing the caretaker government system, and fresh elections were called.

First Term as Prime Minister (1996–2001)

Sheikh Hasina led the Awami League to victory in the June 1996 general election and was sworn in as Prime Minister of Bangladesh on 23 June 1996. Her first term was marked by several notable policy initiatives and diplomatic efforts.

One of the significant achievements of her first government was the signing of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord in 1997, which aimed to end a decades-long insurgency by indigenous groups in the southeastern hill districts. The accord granted limited autonomy to the region and was seen as a step toward resolving ethnic tensions, though its full implementation remained a subject of debate in subsequent years.

Her government also signed the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty with India in 1996, addressing a long-standing dispute over the sharing of waters from the Ganges River at the Farakka Barrage. The treaty was a significant diplomatic achievement and helped improve bilateral relations with India.

In the area of food security, Hasina's first government achieved notable gains. Bangladesh's progress toward reducing hunger and poverty during this period was recognized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which awarded the country the FAO Ceres Medal.

The Awami League lost the October 2001 general election to the BNP-led coalition, and Hasina returned to the role of Leader of the Opposition, a position she held from 2001 to 2006.

Opposition Years and Political Crisis (2001–2008)

Hasina's time in opposition during the early 2000s was marked by intense political rivalry with Khaleda Zia's BNP government. The period was characterized by frequent strikes (hartals), parliamentary boycotts, and political violence between supporters of the two major parties.

On 21 August 2004, a grenade attack targeted an Awami League rally in Dhaka at which Hasina was speaking. She survived with injuries to her ear, but at least 24 people were killed and hundreds more were wounded. The attack was one of the most violent incidents in Bangladeshi political history and became a major source of contention between the Awami League and the BNP.

In 2007, a political crisis over the composition of the caretaker government that was to oversee the next general election led to the declaration of a state of emergency. A military-backed caretaker government, led by Fakhruddin Ahmed, took power and launched an anti-corruption drive that resulted in the arrest of both Hasina and Khaleda Zia on corruption charges. Hasina was detained in 2007 and released in 2008, when the caretaker government arranged for general elections to be held in December 2008.

Second Term as Prime Minister (2009–2014)

The Awami League-led Grand Alliance won a landslide victory in the December 2008 general election, and Sheikh Hasina began her second term as Prime Minister on 6 January 2009. Her second stint in power saw a focus on economic development, infrastructure, and digital modernization.

Under Hasina's government, Bangladesh experienced sustained GDP growth, emerging as one of the fastest-growing economies in South Asia. The government initiated several large-scale infrastructure projects, including the Padma Bridge, a multi-billion-dollar self-funded project that became a symbol of national pride after Bangladesh decided to finance the construction with its own resources following the World Bank's withdrawal from the project over corruption allegations.

Her government also pursued a policy known as "Digital Bangladesh," aimed at expanding access to technology and e-governance across the country. Initiatives included the digitization of government services, expansion of internet connectivity, and promotion of the information technology sector.

Hasina's government also championed education for girls and women as a tool for poverty reduction and development. UNESCO recognized her advocacy in this area.

In 2013, the government established the International Crimes Tribunal to prosecute individuals accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 Liberation War. The tribunal's proceedings were controversial, with critics raising concerns about due process and political motivations, while supporters argued that accountability for wartime atrocities was long overdue.

A major point of contention during this period was the abolition of the caretaker government system through the Fifteenth Amendment to the constitution in 2011. The opposition BNP and other parties demanded the restoration of the system, arguing that elections held under the ruling party could not be free and fair. When the BNP boycotted the January 2014 general election in protest, the Awami League won in a largely uncontested vote. Over half the parliamentary seats were won uncontested, and voter turnout was extremely low. International observers and critics raised serious concerns about the legitimacy of the election.

Rohingya Crisis

In 2017, Bangladesh faced a massive influx of Rohingya refugees fleeing military operations in neighboring Myanmar's Rakhine State. Under Hasina's leadership, Bangladesh opened its borders to an estimated 700,000 refugees, providing shelter in camps in the Cox's Bazar region. Hasina's humanitarian response drew international attention and praise. She visited the refugee camps and assured the displaced populations of assistance. At the same time, Bangladesh advocated at the United Nations for the safe repatriation of Rohingya to Myanmar, a process that had made little progress by the time Hasina left office.

Third and Fourth Terms (2014–2024)

After the contested 2014 election, the Awami League continued in power. The December 2018 general election saw the Grand Alliance win over 90 percent of parliamentary seats, a result that opposition parties and independent observers alleged was marred by irregularities, vote rigging, and voter intimidation. The BNP and other opposition groups rejected the results, but the Awami League maintained that the election was free and fair.

During this extended period in power, Hasina's government oversaw the commissioning of Bangladesh's first two submarines in 2017, expanding the capabilities of the Bangladesh Navy.

However, this period also saw growing concerns about the state of democracy and human rights in Bangladesh. International human rights organizations, foreign governments, and media outlets documented a pattern of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and crackdowns on dissent. The Digital Security Act, enacted in 2018, was used to arrest journalists, activists, and critics of the government. Freedom of the press was curtailed, and opposition politicians faced mass arrests and legal proceedings that critics described as politically motivated.

The January 2024 general election was again boycotted by the BNP and held amid widespread allegations of electoral manipulation. International observers noted the absence of genuine political competition.

July 2024 Uprising and Resignation

In July 2024, a student-led movement demanding reform of the government job quota system escalated into mass protests across Bangladesh. Security forces responded with lethal force, and hundreds of protesters were killed. The movement expanded from its initial focus on quota reform into a broader uprising against the Hasina government, encompassing demands for accountability, democratic reform, and an end to authoritarian governance.

As the unrest intensified and security forces proved unable to suppress the movement, Hasina resigned from the position of prime minister on 5 August 2024 and left Bangladesh, traveling to India. Her departure marked the end of a continuous 15-year period in power. An interim government was subsequently formed under Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning economist.

Conviction In Absentia

Following her departure, the Bangladeshi International Crimes Tribunal initiated proceedings against Hasina and other former officials on charges of crimes against humanity related to the July 2024 crackdown. In November 2025, Hasina was convicted in absentia and sentenced to death. She rejected the verdict, describing it as politically motivated. As of her conviction, she remained in India and was subject to an arrest warrant issued by the tribunal.

Personal Life

Sheikh Hasina married Muhammad Wazed Ali Miah, a nuclear scientist and academic, in 1968. The couple had two children: a son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and a daughter, Saima Wazed. Muhammad Wazed Ali Miah died on 9 May 2009, shortly after Hasina began her second term as prime minister.

Hasina's personal life has been indelibly marked by the assassination of her father and most of her immediate family on 15 August 1975. The loss of her parents, three brothers, and other relatives in the coup remained a defining element of her public persona and political narrative throughout her career. Her younger sister, Sheikh Rehana, also survived the assassination as she too was abroad at the time.

Hasina survived multiple assassination attempts during her political career, the most prominent being the grenade attack of 21 August 2004 at an Awami League rally in Dhaka, which killed at least 24 people and left Hasina with hearing damage.

She belongs to the Tungipara Sheikh family, a prominent political family in Gopalganj District whose prominence in Bangladeshi politics derives primarily from the role of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the country's founding.

Recognition

Sheikh Hasina has received numerous awards and recognitions from international organizations and foreign governments over the course of her career.

In 1998, she was awarded the UNESCO Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize for her role in the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord and her efforts to promote peace in Bangladesh.

The FAO recognized Bangladesh's achievements in food security and poverty reduction under her leadership, awarding the FAO Ceres Medal in 1999. Bangladesh's progress toward achieving the Millennium Development Goal of halving hunger was also acknowledged by the FAO in subsequent years.

She was named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world in 2018. Forbes listed her among the 100 most powerful women in the world in 2015, 2018, and 2022.

Hasina received honorary degrees from several international universities, including Waseda University in Japan, the Australian National University, and Visva-Bharati University in India, where she was conferred the Desikottama, the institution's highest honor.

Her government's management of the Rohingya refugee crisis in 2017 drew recognition from humanitarian organizations and foreign governments, though the long-term challenges of the crisis — including the resettlement and repatriation of hundreds of thousands of refugees — remained unresolved.

Legacy

Sheikh Hasina's legacy in Bangladeshi politics is complex and contested. As the daughter of the country's founding leader and the longest-serving prime minister in its history, she occupies a central position in the nation's political narrative.

Her supporters credit her with transforming Bangladesh's economy, overseeing a period of rapid GDP growth that lifted millions out of poverty and positioned the country to graduate from the United Nations' list of Least Developed Countries. Major infrastructure projects such as the Padma Bridge, the Dhaka Metro Rail, and the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant were initiated or completed under her watch. Her government's Digital Bangladesh initiative expanded access to technology and e-governance, and her emphasis on girls' education and women's empowerment contributed to improvements in social indicators.

Her response to the Rohingya crisis in 2017 — opening Bangladesh's borders to hundreds of thousands of refugees — was seen as a humanitarian gesture that brought international goodwill, even as the prolonged presence of refugees created social and economic pressures in the Cox's Bazar region.

However, her extended tenure was also marked by a steady erosion of democratic institutions, according to critics and international observers. The abolition of the caretaker government system, the contested elections of 2014, 2018, and 2024, the suppression of political opposition, enforced disappearances, restrictions on press freedom, and the use of the Digital Security Act against dissent all contributed to characterizations of democratic backsliding under her leadership. The deadly crackdown on protesters in July 2024 and the subsequent uprising that ended her rule represented a dramatic culmination of these tensions.

Her conviction in absentia in November 2025 on charges of crimes against humanity, and the death sentence imposed by the International Crimes Tribunal, added a further dimension to her legacy — one that remains subject to ongoing legal and political disputes. Hasina's career, spanning more than four decades of Bangladeshi politics, reflected both the aspirations and the deep divisions of the country's post-independence political order.